Piano Man
by DarkestAngel13
Summary: Harry needs a break from the attention of being a hero. The minister helps him out by sending him away with a baby, a housemate, and a guard. Amidst highschool and romance, Harry learns that he can let himself be taken care of. SLASH MalexMale
1. Chapter 1

okay, this is the first fan-fiction that I have ever written. I have some more already written, but I will post this first to see if anyone even likes it. I know that the plot is probably over-used, but I still like them and I hope you like mine. I don't own Harry Potter, Twilight, or anything that you recognize. I might add some of my own characters later on. This will be a Harry/Edward, maybe Draco/Jacob, but don't expect anything explicit. I am only 15! Any questions? just review, and I'll answer what I can.

* * *

Harry walked through the corridors toward the minister's office. He ignored the stares and nods, the occasional curtsy, bow, or camera that flashed through his vision. Three months, and the public still had not had enough of him! Harry was beginning to accept the fact that they probably never would. Accept it, but he didn't have to like it. The eighteen year old reached his destination and knocked sharply twice on the thick door. It swung inward and Harry stepped into an overly spacious office.

"Harry! How are you?" the deep voice of Kingsley Shaklebolt rang through the room as he stepped toward the teen and offered his hand.

"As well as can be expected, _minister_," Harry replied with a short smirk, and Kingsley grimaced.

"Harry, you know that I am not thrilled that you've landed me here. Your brilliant scheming would have been more greatly appreciated had I actually volunteered for the minister position."

Harry laughed. "Kingsley, I have faith in you. The wizarding world needs someone with your ability to lead, and your experience, in order for them to regain a sense of normalcy. And, it will be helpful with your auror expertise to round up the remaining Death Eaters and Dark Supporters."

Now it was the minister's turn to chuckle. "My help, Harry? The wizarding world doesn't want _my_ help. They want to be rescued again by the One-Who-Conquered: The-Boy-Who-Lived, and his Golden Trio."

"However," he continued, "I know that you have never wanted any of that, Harry, and a reliable source told me that you wanted to- what was it? Step away from the limelight for a while?"

Harry bit back a growl. He couldn't even speak with Hermione without it becoming ministry business. He did appreciate it though; his friend was only trying to help him take a break.

"Very well, Harry." Kingsley voice was still rumbling. "You have gotten me stuck in this position of an exciting amount of power. I should return your _kindness, _don't you think?" Harry's grin slipped off his face like hot butter off a plate when he realized that Shaklebolt actually had planned revenge.

"Mr. Potter, I am formally placing you under the protection of a few select ministry-authorized protectors, to aid you with crowd control within the wizarding-world limits, prevention of dark assault, and also for personal assistance."

"WHAT?" Harry's green eyes lit with fire. "You are assigning me a Babysitter? A team of babysitters?"

"Nonsense, Mr. Potter." Kingsley was still speaking entirely too formally for Harry's liking. "They are a _guard_. Protectors, friends even, if you would allow them. However, you will have control over most of their actions, and the extent to how closely they remain by your side. But, when push comes to shove, Harry, they _will_ be nearby, and you _will _accept the protection, because to aid in your _'stepping away from the limelight,' _I have decided to send you abroad. We can't leave our Golden Boy Hero completely alone and unprotected, can we?"

Harry glared at the minister as the man finished his explanation. Then, a smiled graced his features as an excuse came to the forefront of his mind.

"Sir, are you aware that I have just been granted the guardianship of my godson?"

Kingsley nodded, a smile on his face, and Harry's shoulders fell. His loophole had already been attended to.

"C'mon, Kingsley," he began, desperately now. "Teddy's barely a year old! Uprooting him so soon after his parent's death can't be healthy for him. And, this guard- Strangers wouldn't be good for him, and I won't trust them! When I said I wanted a break, I was thinking, you know, maybe the paparazzi could fall off the Earth for a few months or something. I don't want to leave the entire country!"

"Now Harry," Kingsley admonished. "You can relax. I assure you that you can be completely trusting of your guard. They are members of the Order, and you know them well. You _will_ be going. Teddy will remain in your custody, and you will be perfectly safe. I know that you will find the members of your guard more than satisfactory. They will protect you, advise you, and even drive for you...

"No thanks," Harry cut in. Driving was something he would be doing for himself. He was very excited about his new license and the cars he had begun to shop for. Plus, after inheriting Sirius' antique of a motorcycle, he had become very interested in the bikes as well.

"…And they will be nearby, yet inconspicuous while you are in school. Now, during the day Teddy will---" Kingsley had attempted to keep this part of the conversation flowing but was interrupted yet again.

"WAIT!" "School? Shaklebolt, I've just graduated! Surely you know that! It was plastered all over the damned Daily Prophet! Passed my N.E.W.T.s without even sitting seventh year!"

"I don't need, nor do I want to attend more school." Harry finished stubbornly. This meeting with the minister was _not_ going his way.

"Ah, Harry," Kingsley's eyes twinkled, annoyingly similar to the way that Dumbledore's had, and Harry felt his gut twist, and his scowl softened. "You have graduated from Hogwarts, a _magical_institution. However, in order to live in the Muggle World- did I mention you would be in the muggle world? You must have a _muggle _high school education. Remember, Harry. Hero or not you are still hardly 18. Not even emancipated legally by muggle standards.

"Go with your guard, take care of your godson, and for Merlin's sake be a normal teenager for once!" Kingsley stated all of this with great finality, and Harry grimaced.

A more ironic statement had never been made. What normal teenager attended high school with an infant, a guard, and supernatural powers?

********************

"Oh, and Harry, did I mention you would be bringing a housemate with you?"

Harry shook his head looking dejectedly at the floor, and braced himself for the worst.

"It seems Draco Malfoy has been facing horrific torment from both sides of the war since you defeated You-Know-Who. Just last week he was in St. Mungo's spell damage ward after someone sent a nasty hex his way. I think it only fair that if you take this break you bring him with you. The poor lad doesn't deserve these attacks and threats after all that he's been through."

Harry nodded in agreement. He had spoken with Draco several times in the last months and learned about Draco's position as Dumbledore's spy, and the role that he had played in secretly helping the Order. They had reached a tentative friendship, and things would be tense at times no doubt, but Harry wasn't fussed with the identity of his new housemate. He would need someone to talk to other than his guard and a baby after all.

"Well, Mr. Potter, I assume that you would like to know where it is that you are being sent to?"

Harry sighed. This _vacation_ was truly inevitable.

"Sure," he said. "Where am I headed?"

Kingsley smiled. He had won. "I think you will like it. It's quiet, small, secluded, definitely away from the limelight, or any light really. It rains quite often, you see, so you shouldn't be too terribly homesick- oh and a fun name too! Albus would have appreciated it."

"Shaklebolt," Harry growled. "The location please, I don't need this."

"Very well," Kingsley grinned. "It's a very nice muggle town in America called Forks, Washington."

*******************

Harry walked slowly back through the ministry toward the apparation ports where he would be able to leave for his flat. He had left Teddy there with Ron and Hermione for this meeting, and he wanted to get back as soon as he could. He was sure that even Hermione couldn't handle both Ron _and _Teddy. Also, the young boy had been incredibly clingy to Harry lately. Teddy, that is- not Ron.

He supposed he was glad he wouldn't be in a major city like New York or Chicago, but Kingsley told him that Forks was just outside of a city called Port Angeles, in case he "wanted to be social for once."

Harry turned when he reached the apparation port, but before he spun on the spot; he looked at the camera crews that had followed him, and offered a smile and a wave in their direction- something unheard of for The Boy Who Lived.

He had always ignored the paparazzi. The crowd went wild.

"Something to leave them with," thought Harry as he apparated home.

He had to pack; he had a flight to catch in two days.

* * *

-A/N-

SO that's it! chapter one, I hope that it went okay. I don't have a beta or anything. I don't think I even know what that is exactly, and I'm not really sure how any of that works. If anyone wants to help me out, send me an email or just review! I will appreciate any sort of feedback, negative or positive. Thanks for reading! remember, I'm really new at this! Also, I'm not sure how quickly I will have a new chapter u. I am writing currently, but I don't know what the responses will be like to this one.

Peace,

darkestAngel13


	2. Chapter 2

I AM SO EXCITED that I finally decided to write a story of my own. All of you guys are so loveable! In one day you managed to fill my inbox with about 35 emails. That made me feel so happy- it's so much better than I expected. Now, as you know, (or maybe you don't) I am a lowly 15 year old, and not Rowling or Meyer, so I do not own anything that you recognize. I hope you still like it!

* * *

Harry had been packing suitcases in the bedroom of his borrowed flat in London when he heard the rush of the Floo being activated in the kitchen. Casting an alarm charm over a sleeping Teddy to alert him if he woke, the teenager held his wand securely in his right fist as he walked through the living room.

"Would you _relax_, Potter?" Draco admonished as he came forward for a handshake. "Really, you're safe in this flat! No one even knows it's here except for the Order."

Harry scowled and shook the hand, ignoring the subject of his paranoia. He gestured for Draco to follow him back toward the bedroom. Here, the blond boy raised his eyebrows and laughed seeing the mess of boxes and suitcases.

"Merlin, Harry! We are leaving in the morning, and _I _was ready to leave _yesterday_!"

Harry growled. "Leave it alone, Draco. I, unlike you, do not own a team of house elves to pack for me, _and _I have to take care of Teddy, and pack his things too."

As if on cue, Teddy woke and began to babble with himself, playing with his toes from a crib in the corner.

Both boys smiled at the infant, pleased that he was not crying.

Draco scanned the room again with his silver-blue eyes. Releasing his wand from it's holster with a flick of his wrist, he shrank several boxes labeled "Pictures & Albums" to the size of his fist. He then stuffed them into a baby's bag, as if adding just another toy to Teddy's collection.

Harry grinned in gratitude and moved to relax and play with his godson while leaving Draco to finish packing for him.

After another hour, the Slytherin finally finished and looked at Harry.

"Potter, we really need to get you a better wardrobe. Honestly, all you own is a set of Hogwarts' formal clothes, school robes, and…" he held up a plastic bag containing some of Dudley's hand-me-downs.

"Harry, this is depressing. You can't look like a school boy wizard for the rest of your life. The first thing we are going to do in America is shop, because I will not be attending a muggle school with you if you are dressed like a Tramp."

"Merlin, Harry," he continued. "You've taken care of the Wizarding world, now you take care of Teddy, but you should really take care of yourself for once, or at least let _someone take care of you_… Speaking of which- do you know who will be with us in this _'guard'_?"

"As a matter of fact, yes. I talked to Kingsley about who would be there, and the jobs that they would have." Harry was more than happy to move the conversation away from the state of his clothing. He knew that he needed some things for himself, but recently the main thing that he had been concerned with was making sure that Teddy was well supplied.

"Malfoy, please don't be a jerk about it. Bill Weasley will be attending the school with us, but he won't be a student. I dunno, Kingsley probably set up some position for him so that he can blend in as a new employee. Apparently he thinks that a curse-breaker will be useful in a foreign place."

Draco shrugged. The eldest Weasley brother would not be difficult for him to associate with.

"I can handle him, Harry, and for the record- I am not a _jerk_, I am an _aristocrat._" He tilted his chin upward for emphasis, and continued dramatically. "I was raised to sneer and jeer at those beneath me! But, in all honesty, Weasley is a far fly above those muggles that we will be dealing with. So no worries!"

Harry ignored this blatant display of arrogance and continued to tell the blond boy about their guard.

"Dedalus Diggle will be minding the house, property, and wards, although I will be building the wards myself. There is also a private guard of unspeakables that will always be tailing us. They will remain unseen unless they sense a threat. Do you have anymore questions?"

Harry lifted Teddy to a changing table as an unpleasant odor swept through the room.

"Um, yes." said Draco, wrinkling his nose.

"Is Mini-Moony going to have his own nursery at the house?"

Teddy shrieked in laughter hearing the nickname, and his turquoise hair promptly shifted to an amber brown. Harry smiled softly at the now carbon copy of Remus.

"Of course," he told Draco. "But my room will be attached to his so that I can take care of him. Apparently this new house is quite large, so you can be as far away or as close to us as you like." Draco glowed at the mention of a big house, and Harry groaned.

He would never be able to get rid of Wealthy, Spoiled, Pureblood Draco, but at least he knew that he was making progress in Prejudiced Draco.

Living with muggles, and going to school with them. Yes, this would be very good for the over confident boy. He fastened the fresh diaper to Teddy, and scooped him up into his toned arms.

"Let's all go out for some dinner, and you can crash here tonight. I'm sure your Wiltshire Mansion is empty and lonely after you packed everything up. The airplane will be leaving at seven in the morning, and we are meeting the guard at the airport on the other side. Oh, and Draco- did I mention the surprises that I have waiting for us in America?"

Draco paled and gulped. Airplanes? Were those the giant metal birds that were always in the muggle news for crashing?

Harry was still looking at him expectantly.

"Problem, Malfoy? Oh, no way. You're not afraid of the plane, are you Mr. Slytherin Seeker?"

Draco growled at him as he finished snapping a jacket and snugged a hat on Teddy to cover the boy's ever-changing hair.

"_No."_

He would show Harry that he could handle these muggle inventions.

****************

Harry was insistent that they ate their dinner in Muggle London.

"Look Draco, this is our last night here, and I don't want to deal with the press! The world knows that I don't like the papers, and they will think I am celebrating something if we go to Rosmerta's or to the Leaky Cauldron... _Or worse_- they might think that you and I are _dating!"_

After that last argument, Draco finally agreed to be led into London. He decided he would need to get used to behaving like a muggle anyway. Why not start now?

Ordering supper was an interesting affair involving Harry instructing a pouting Draco that "No, you can not order Butterbeer while you are in a muggle restaurant,"

and

"No, we can't cut the line even if you tell them you are a Malfoy. We have to wait the 20 to 25 minutes just like everyone else."

Harry knew that attending high school with the pureblood would be difficult. He himself had only had a primary school education, but Draco would be completely lost. He hoped desperately that they would be able to blend in somehow.

*****************

The next morning, Draco looked out the window of an airplane at the clouds below him, talking softly to Teddy on his lap about the different shapes that they made. A sleeping Harry was slouched uncomfortably in the seat next to him, and as much as Draco hoped that he himself would be able to escape his past in Forks, he hoped that Harry would too.

He continued to gaze out at the sky and wondered.

Could he truly handle this? Yes, he could. He had to. And more importantly, _what surprises did Harry have waiting for them?_

* * *

NOTE: I wanted to say that I absolutely love anyone who added this story to either their alerts or favorites list. Also, I am very very very appreciative of those who reviewed! You made me feel so good inside- even when I was *tackled* by an excited reviewer. I was so glad to see that you liked it enough to respond or add it to your alerts. I only hope that you weren't disappointed by this 2nd chapter- and if you were, please tell me! This way, I can know what to fix and such. Also, I had some difficulty choosing people to be in this guard. It seems that all of my favorite characters were dead *cries* or occupied. Further, I didn't want to include people that were too close to Harry's age (so not Ron, Hermione, etc. please) but if you can think of someone, please let me know!!

P.S. For the sake things, let's just say that Fleur has decided to let Bill leave for the duration of my story. OR we can just pretend that she doesn't exist. Either way, I don't think that she will be mentioned in the story unless you can give me a reason to add her! Let me know what you think about everything.

Many Thanks, Love, Peace, and All That Jazz, darkestAngel13


	3. Chapter 3

Hey there! It's me again, A Writing Rookie. Here is chapter 3. I don't own any of it. I am not Rowling, or Meyer, or any other fancy person. The only thing er written are book reports. This story will eventually be Harry/Edward slash, but like i have said many times- nothing explicit. Please read the note at the very bottom, and review! I will take any sort of criticism, positive or negative. (I'm a big girl now!)

* * *

_Deplaning was easy,_ Harry figured.

He was holding Teddy in his right arm against his hip, and keeping a close watch on Draco by his side as they made their way through the crowded terminal and toward an open area for baggage claim and greeting. There, it was quite enjoyable to spot Bill Weasley with his hair gelled and tied back, dressed in a black suit and looking very much like a hired chauffeur. Standing in a line of similarly dressed men, he held a sign that read:

**Messrs **

**Potter, Ferret & Lupin**

Harry laughed, and started toward him, practically dragging a blushing Draco along. Bill looked relieved when he recognized the boys, and greeted them both formally, leading them out of the airport. He nodded his head questioningly toward the baggage claim as they passed it, but Harry patted his jacket pockets and they continued to the exit.

The outside of the airport was chaotic. Muggles rushed through the parking garage, in and out of elevators, narrowly avoiding collisions as the dodged others in their paths. No one spared the wizards a passing glance.

For the first time, in entirely too long, Harry felt free!

Bill noticed the grin on the boy's face, and finally dropped his formal façade.

"Harry!" he shouted, pulling the younger boy into a hug. The hero laughed at the feeling of liberation and allowed the embrace. Bill then gathered Teddy into his arms and held him tight. Looking closely, it could be seen that the child's eye color changed from hazel to blue- matching the Weasley's shade, showing recognition.

Then Bill turned to Draco, who looked down at his feet, feeling shy and awkward for once.

"Oh, for the love of Merlin-" Bill started, and then pulled the blond into a hug of his own.

Draco hid the smile from them, but his grin made shone brightly in his eyes.

They had done it.

They were finally away from it all!

Harry, eyes still alight with laughter, asked Bill, "So, are they here? The surprises?"

Bill grinned and pointed ahead of them. "Yes, Harry- all there, all three."

"YES!" "Draco, you have _got_to see what I've gotten you." He pulled the Slytherin to the opposite end of the lot where Bill had directed, and began to explain.

"I figured, we can't just join a quidditch league in the middle of a muggle town- um, but we can still fly! Well, only in the backyard, obviously..."

"...Don't worry; I will hide us with the wards."

"But we should still be able to travel fast, right? I mean, without apparating? Like, in public..."

Draco was beginning to get bored. Listening to Harry explain himself was hardly better than History of Magic with Binns.

"...So look what I've gotten us. And don't worry, I took the money from one of the Potter Vaults, so your galleons are safe."

They reached the end of the aisle, and Draco gaped at what was before them.

"See this one here, Draco? This one is yours." Harry ran to show him a gorgeous motorcycle. It was colored in a Slytherin style, emerald green with silver and chrome adorning it's features. A green and black helmet was perched on the seat.

An MV Augusta F4CC. This was one of the most expensive bikes in existence.

"It's nice, right?"

_Harry is like an over excited puppy,_ Draco thought as he nodded dumbly. _It's about time he bought something that he wanted to for once, though._

"And Malfoy, look! See? This one's mine. It's a bit more, erm, _modest _I suppose. A 2003 Suzuki GSXR1000. Nice, right? I thought about getting mine with scarlet, but then I decided I liked the silver by itself. I'm not entirely Gryffindor after all, you know?"

Draco nodded again. He remembered the conversation in which Harry had admitted that he was almost a Slytherin. Bill however, confused by the statement, moved to their right where a sleek and expensive car was parked. Seeing this, Harry rushed over.

"Of course, Teddy is too small to be riding on one of the motorbikes, and Hermione would have a fit if she knew I was being irresponsible, so I figured we'd need a car. Umm… We will probably actually stick out a bit though." he blushed. "This is a Lotus Evora. I was able to purchase it straight from the manufacturer. They haven't even been released back in Europe yet, and this one is even more unique. They're usually two-seaters, see? But this one has a back seat 'specially for children. We can snap Teddy's chair thingy right in there!" He looked at Draco, and the blond boy finally found his voice.

"Wow, Potter. I didn't think you actually had it in you to go and blow galleons like that. Well done!" He smiled. "And Harry- thanks, for the bike. It's amazing."

Bill stretched from where he had been buckling Teddy into the back of the Lotus.

"All right boys," he said. "I'll drive the car, and you two follow on those bikes. When we reach the house, we can get you all settled, and I will show you around the town and everything. Unfortunately, our job didn't say we had to meet the people here. We have been keeping to ourselves. I'm afraid you guys will having to make your own friends."

Kingsley had sent Bill, Dedalus, and the rest of the guard to Washington two months previously. While Harry and the rest of the Order had been told that they were scouting out Death Eaters, they had really been familiarizing themselves with this new place before Draco and Harry arrived. This was a fact that Harry had not been happy to learn. His 'vacation' had been planned ages before he had expressed his wishes to take a break. He would have preferred if someone had asked him. However, he assumed that this plan was adding to the minister's revenge.

Harry kissed his godson's forehead, clapped Bill on the back in thanks, jammed a helmet on his head, and kicked his bike to life. Draco imitated these actions behind him, and all three vehicles were soon speeding toward a large, secluded house on the edge of the woods in Forks Washington.

So far, their time away from the limelight had exceeded their expectations.

********************

In the living room of a light and beautiful house deeper within the woods, a pixie-like girl perked up suddenly from the couch where she had been lounging with her 'boyfriend.' She briefly stared off into space, and the siblings around her exchanged bored glances until she came to. Then she addressed all of them.

"Guys, let's go shopping tomorrow!"

"Alice," complained a burly male from the floor.

"You just got back from shopping an hour ago…"

The girl- Alice, giggled.

"Trust me, " she said, and she glanced to the corner of the room where a brooding boy sat plunking bored notes on a grand piano.

"We definitely should go shopping."

* * *

NOTE: motorcycles are NOT my forte. I know quite a lot about cars though, and if I ever had the money, I would be buying a Lotus Evora. They _can_be made with a rear seat, but the leg room is limited, so it is typically only a child's seat. The info for the motorcycles came from typing "Most expensive motorcycle" and "coolest motorcycle" into a google search. I mentioned in the first chapter that Harry had been looking at Sirius' old bike. Let's just say that he and Draco learned to ride on that.

ANNND THAT was chapter 3! I hope it was okay. I must admit that I didn't really put much work into it. I was home sick all day and came home early yesterday, so the time that was spent on it was in a feverish stupor. Anyway, I really really love all of you for sending me such amazing messages and reviews. I am so grateful for all of the support and suggestions. Keep them coming, because I am very open to whatever you might have to say. If you haven't noticed, I am trying to reply to each question that you send my way. I will keep doing this unless the amount of messages in my inbox really skyrocket. Well, that's enough rambling from me. You got the first look at the Cullens, yes it was short- but it was more of a foreshadow of what will be in the next chapter. (shopping?)

Until next time, darkestAngel13


	4. Chapter 4

Notes: okay, just so you know- the reason why there was a delay was because I am actually healthy now, and had to go back to my classes. Fortunately, it is now spring break! I hope to have a few more chapters up soon. remember, I don't own anything that you recognize, I am not Rowling or Meyer. ps. please read the note at the bottom too!

* * *

The house was very impressive. It stood on a hill, and the foundation being slanted allowed a four-car garage to open from seemingly underground.

Upon exploration, the house's occupants had this to find:

There were three floors, each wide and open. The guard had arranged the basement into a dueling platform and gym, which Draco and Harry were both itching to use.

Teddy's room was an adorable little boy's nursery, colored in soft blues with a wide window overlooking the woods of the backyard. Harry placed the boy- now asleep, into a crib in the corner and left with Draco to discover the rest of their new home.

Harry's room was a deep royal blue with a silver trim. The walls were already adorned with pictures of his friends and family smiling down at him. He noted with only a hint of sadness that none of them were moving. _"Muggle," _he reminded himself.

Draco also had been to his room. Black and white walls, with leather furniture and a large king-sized bed, it matched his quarters in the Malfoy Manor, and he was pleased.

***************

The Slytherin knocked twice on Harry's door before walking in to find Harry lounging on a full sized four-poster bed.

"Hey Potter, I'll bet that there's a door connecting your closet to Teddy's room."

Sure enough, there was. They walked easily through the empty closet and were able to peek in on the baby, who was still breathing deeply and evenly.

Draco looked at the empty racks and hangers around them, and then raised his eyebrows at the Boy-Who-Lived.

"Harry, get your godson, and meet me in that Lotus. We are going shopping!"

Harry groaned. He looked at the sleeping infant, wishing that he could be napping too instead of shopping with Draco Malfoy. He picked the boy up and also snagged a contraption called a "Snuggly" from a side table. He then made his way through the large house toward the garage.

As he was heading down the second floor, he spotted the shadow of a man walking down from the 3rd floor -the guard's quarters. The gait of the man's shadow was awkward, as if duck-footed. And then a voice that he recognized called out to him.

"Potter! Are ve going out?"

"Viktor!" Harry exclaimed. "You're a part of my guard? An unspeakable?" He nearly whispered the last part before he remembered that he was in a secure house.

"Yes," the foreign man answered. "Vat, did you think I could play Qviditch for the rest off my life? I had to do something for this var, and then your minister contacted me, and I vas happy to know that I could help an old friend."

Harry smiled. "Thanks Viktor, I'm glad that you are a member of this guard. I know I can rely on you."

"Yes." said Viktor. "Now, ver is your blond friend going? Malfoy, is his name? Do you know, I must go vith you ven you go to town?"

The raven laughed, relieved that he wouldn't be dragging along Dedalus or anyone else potentially embarrassing when they went shopping. Krum was a little awkward walking, but at least they were closer in age.

The old acquaintances made their way to the car where Draco was waiting impatiently. He had crammed himself into the backseat leaving Harry to drive, and Viktor to claim shotgun. They buckled in a groggy Teddy and took off to the mall.

As Harry followed Krum's directions to the shopping center, he asked the seeker a question.

"Do we even have a cover story? Any secret code names?"

Draco snorted from the backseat and was ignored.

"Cofer story? Yes, but ve do not need _code names. _Since ve are in the muggle world, there is no reason to change names. They vill not recognize the name Potter. But, ve do haf to tell people that ve are being housed together here through a program called _The Phoenix House._

Harry bit back a grin. The Phoenix House was a name that was used for many organizations. These muggles could use their imagination to figure through which one they were there. Only the wizards would know of their tribute to Dumbledore and Fawkes, his phoenix familiar.

After shopping for two and a half hours, the boys decided to eat some lunch at the food court of the mall.

Draco was not fond of this idea.

"Harry," he complained. This is just so greasy! Imagine what it could do to my complexion…" The boys were standing uncomfortably in the middle of the crowded food court. Draco held his tray of McDonald's fries and burgers while Viktor held one tray for himself and one for Harry, leaving the latter available to carry numerous shopping bags. They were rotating in a 4-foot radius, awkwardly searching out a place to sit. It was highly irritating to find couples of two taking advantage of all the larger tables, leaving none available for those groups who actually needed the space.

******************

"Alice!" hissed a beautiful blond girl from across the table. "Why are we sitting here, surrounded by humans, in a food court? It's absolutely ironic- and look at Jasper. He's slipping! Let's just go home."

Alice looked toward her mate with pity in her eyes as he struggled for control. She glanced over to the other boys who were engaged in a thumb-wrestling match.

"Just please be patient. It will all be worth it!"

Just then, a young girl ran past and tripped over her shoelaces, sprawling to the floor.

"Ooh! Look-" Alice brought the others' attention to the sniffling child. "It's about to happen!"

Right as the toddler began to cry, a black haired eighteen year old was standing over her. With a child of about 5 months slung in a carrier on his back, he lifted the young girl off the floor with ease, stood her on her feet, and wiped her tears.

"Shh, no more tears," he consoled her in a soft cockney accent. "You'll be alright, no bruises, see? Where's your mum, eh?"

The girl sniffed shyly, and then was scooped up by a brunette woman from behind her.

"Kaylee!" The woman sighed. "You must not run off in a place like this!"

She thanked the young man and carried a teary Kaylee away.

Five pairs of intense eyes looked on curiously as another two men joined the first.

"Gee, that was sweet Potter. Now let's find somewhere to sit, I am starving," drawled the boy with blond hair.

Alice shifted her eyes to look at her siblings. The five of them were seated at a long rectangular table that probably could have fit nine or ten. She could however, understand why no one had joined them yet. Her family had a tendency to be seen as… _intimidating. _

She quickly took advantage of the situation, pulled her bear-like brother into a sitting position from where he had been reclined on the bench, and stood up.

"Hello," she chirped brightly at boy who had helped the girl. "If you need a place to sit, you can join the table with me and my siblings."

She watched as a broad-shouldered, awkward man with a curved nose shuffled his position to the front of the teenagers. The blond then tapped his back and muttered lowly, "Don't do that, let us be normal first!"

"I'm Alice," said the girl. "We won't hurt you." She giggled. "Come on and sit, please. I'm sure you're _starving._"

*****************

Harry and the others observed the siblings as they made their way over. Alice, the bubbly girl who invited them, was clearly the smallest of the lot. She had short, spiky black hair, and was thin and light on her feet. On the opposite end of the size spectrum was a large boy with dark brown hair cropped into a military cut. He looked like a brick wall. Leaning against him was a gorgeous blond girl with a beautiful figure. She first appeared to have a sour expression, but upon catching sight of Teddy in the snuggly on Harry's back, she smiled and waved at him. There was also a wiry looking male perched uncomfortably on the far edge of the bench. His eyes were wide and pained and he seemed both focused and distracted at the some time, which Draco thought that this made for a very peculiar facial expression. Perhaps he was focused on being distracted. Lastly, Harry took note of the final male at the table. His build was between those of his brothers: less bulky than the first, though not as lanky than the other. His facial structure was more boyish than any of the others. This was the youngest of them? His untidy hair rivaled Harry's in style, but the honey bronze color was much more unique than the common raven black.

Each of the siblings were insanely beautiful, and yet they looked nothing alike.

Viktor was the first to take a seat, and parked himself next to the burly boy. He tugged at Harry inconspicuously, and had the hero sit down on his other side. Draco flopped himself opposite Harry, and, ignoring the company, dug into his food despite earlier complaints.

"I'm Harry," the raven said, looking to Alice.

"Thanks for letting us sit here. You are all family, then?" He unclasped Teddy from the snuggly and sat the boy on his lap, being sure to secure the cap that hid most of the child's hair. Alice giggled.

Again.

She seemed entirely too excited. About what, the wizards didn't know, but Harry couldn't find himself annoyed like he had with Lavender Brown, or the Patil twins. This girl simply seemed friendly, and her smile was contagious.

"Actually, we've each been through the adoption and foster programs, so biologically none of us are related. Except for Jasper and Rosalie. They are twins." She smiled again, and began introductions.

"That's Emmett. I know he looks scary, but he's really only violent when he's losing a video game." Harry and Viktor nodded to the brick. "And this is Rosalie, his girlfriend." The statuesque blond smiled at them, but still awed and cooed at Teddy who was now chewing Harry's car keys. "Umm, that's Jasper at the end down there. He won't be saying much, another stomach-ache I suppose." The wiry boy looked down the table at them, and tried to pull off a grin. It looked more like a grimace, or a snarl.

"And_ this_ is Edward."

Edward did not nod or smile.

"Oh for Heaven's sake, Edward, be social!" The bronze haired boy was glaring at Harry as though her smelled something awful. Harry noticed this and ducked his head minutely to take a sniff of Teddy's shorts. The child still smelt good- like baby powder. What was wrong with this stranger?

Harry shook it off, and dismissed the cold stare, but Alice seemed to be silently scolding her brother with her eyes. After a moment, he scoffed at her and looked away.

Harry bit into his burger, handed Teddy a bottle, and began his own introductions.

"Well, it's nice to meet you all. My name's Harry, that blond pig is my good friend Draco, and on my left is Viktor. This here is my godson Teddy. We all just moved here from England to be housed in Forks. Thank you for being an excellent welcoming committee!"

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okay, I hated this chapter. It's not the way I wanted it at all, but I felt like I needed to add in all of the descriptive stuff somewhere. It will come back again later in a different form, but for now it had to be this way. I also wanted to include some actual shopping, but I couldn't figure out how to make it work. maybe we can flashback later or something. I hope it was enjoyable enough, and that the next few chapters make up for it. Were you happy to see Krum? He was an idea I had originally, and a few of your messages convinced me to add him. Thanks for all the support! soo, please review, and let me know what you think. Don't be shy, you can tell me that it sucks :)

everything is much appreciated!! darkestAngel13


	5. Chapter 5

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A/N:

Hello Readers! I hope that everyone had a good holiday and enjoyed their vacation! I know I said that I would try to have several updates throughout the week, but I don't have a laptop and we were on the road a lot. So, here is chapter 5, I hope that you enjoy it. Remember, I am not JK Rowling, Or Stephanie Meyer. Nothing that you recognize belongs to me :)

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"So...You all attend Forks High School?"

The Cullens silently nodded.

Harry's attempts to make conversation had gotten him nowhere in the last few minutes. Only Alice seemed interested in talking, and she was trying to convince her siblings to do the same, but she was failing.

"Me, Emmett, and Edward are juniors, and Rosalie and Jasper are seniors. Maybe we will share some classes!"

"Mm, yeah." said Draco. "Harry and I will be juniors as well." He finished off the last of his meal and got up to dump his tray. He grabbed Harry's and stacked Viktor's on top. As he rejoined them at the table, he glanced at his watch and turned to his housemate.

"Harry, I would really like to make one more stop before we go back to the house. Let's go now so that we don't run out of time."

The raven-haired boy hesitated, looking at the Cullen family. So far, he had only learned that they would be in high school, and that they technically weren't related. He had hoped to know a little more about them, but they did not seem willing to share.

"Fine, Draco."

He gathered Teddy and the rest of his bags, then addressed the siblings.

"Thanks for letting us sit with you. I hope we will see you when school starts!" he said as the Slytherin dragged him off.

"Draco!" scolded Harry. "That was just rude!"

"Forget it, mate. They didn't want to talk anyway. It was futile." He pulled Harry to a stop in front of a place called _"Pete's Pet Shop"_ and the hero winced.

"Draco, I don't… um, you know- _Hedwig_. And-- it's just… I don't know…"

"C'mon Harry. I_ know _you miss Hedwig. She was great, but you should have another Familiar. I've got Razor, and he's everything to me."

Razor was Draco's familiar: a sleek Black Panther cub that remained the size of a large house cat for its lifetime. He had been with the blond boy for years, and Harry had been genuinely surprised by the love that the boy had for the animal.

"I was thinking that you should have something like…" he pointed to the rear wall, where a teenaged boy with an unfortunate case of acne was trying and failing to look macho while feeding a tank of snakes.

Harry's mind immediately translated the meaningless hisses that emanated from the tank. He knew that he harbored a connection to the animals, but felt dirty in having this in common with Voldemort.

Draco, it seemed, would not be taking 'No' for an answer. He nudged the reluctant wizard toward the tank, and pointed the teenaged employee to the opposite side of the shop where a bag of dog food had "spilled."

"Go on, Potter. Communicate. Make a friend."

By the time they left the shop, Draco held a squirming Teddy, and Harry had a beautiful Black Granite Ball Python twirled around his shoulders. The snake was a female, agreeing to be called "Anaklusmos," or "Ana" for short. The name, which meant _Riptide_ matched the deep black swirling scales that appeared to weave and shift as she moved.

Harry, contrary to what he had felt earlier, was glad to have a familiar again. He would construct a living space for her in his bedroom when they arrived back at the house.

With their last destination reached, Viktor lead the way out of the mall to the car.

_*Two Weeks Later*_

"Draco! Would you hurry up and get out of the shower? It's 6:49!" Harry banged on the Slytherin's door as he raced by with Teddy in his arms.

They hadn't seen any members of the guard since shopping with Viktor, and now, two weeks later, Harry would be leaving Teddy with Dedalus and he needed to give the man a list of instructions.

He found the eccentric man in the kitchen on the first floor, and clasped his shoulder.

"Hey, Dedalus- it's great to see you! I really appreciate this so much. I have to tell you about… um- you know? Why don't we take the car today? I will let you know some stuff about Mini-Moony here, and then you can just pick us up when school's over at 3."

At this point, Draco skidded around the corner, drying his hair with careful wand movements, and reaching for a pile of toast.

" 'Morning, Diggle," he greeted the guardian, and he dashed out of the room again. Harry sighed and made a mental note to set an alarm clock for his friend in the future.

Not five minutes later, Harry was squeezed in the back seat of the Lotus next to Teddy with a bookbag jammed between his knees. Draco sat comfortably in the front, adjusting his hair in the pull down mirror, and Dedalus was learning the best way to trick Teddy into eating from Harry.

By the time that the car had pulled to the front of Forks High School, a moderately sized crowd of students had begun to congregate in front of them. Draco stepped out first.

All suave and cool, he leaned against the hood of the car to wait for his friend, and the female population swooned. A moment later, Harry began to back out of the car, hanging onto one of Teddy's small fists as the sniffles and tears of the child could be heard. Finally untangling himself, The Boy Who Lived closed the door gently, gave a wave to the driver, and stepped onto the sidewalk with his companion. They made their way to a main building, and the students eyed them calculatingly.

The clothes that the newcomers wore screamed "wealthy." Each wore a form-fitting t-shirt; black on the blond, and gray on the raven. The shirts displayed well-defined muscles, and the slacks that they wore were tailored and perfect. They sported clean-cut hairstyles, though messed to perfection on each of them, and un-scuffed shoes tapped against the concrete with each step they took. Immediately, rumors began to fly.

These were the British boys that moved into town with a large group of orphans...

...No- they were German and were moving after being placed in a juvenile delinquent center...

...They were government assassins.

There seemed to be only a few legitimate facts being told.

Firstly, they lived in a large house and had nice clothes. They were rich.

Second, they had a baby. No one knew who it belonged to, and someone mentioned that it might have been kidnapped.

And last, they were single. _Both of them. _

What the students of Forks high school were sure of, was that they had a lot to learn about these foreigners.

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**NOTE:** I know that it's pretty short. The next chapter should be up in a few hours. I'm typing it right now.

I receivedsome really really nice reviews from you all, and I want to say thanks again, because they make me feel so good. When someone tells me that they like the chapter- it fuels my imagination to write even more chapters. The more reviews I get, the more I feel like writing, and therefore- you get to read more sooner. OH! Please note that Pete's Pet Shop is a real place that is around the corner from where I live. I don't own it, but the teenager employee is mine! I wasn't insulting you if you work there. Also, Harry's snake breed is based on my friend's pet- and the name comes from the Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series written by Rick Riordan. According to the series, "anaklusmos" means "riptide" in Ancient Greek. The books are brilliant and highly reccomended!

Live Well and Be Happy,

darkestAngel13


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N; short and sweet- I don't own anything that you recognize. It's all Rowling and Meyer.**

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Harry and Draco made their way to the office in the main building. Standing just inside the door was a red-haired man with a black jacket that read "**FORKS H.S. SECURITY,**" in bold letters across the shoulders. Noting that the secretaries were currently busy, Harry took the time to talk with his friend.

"Bill! This is the job that Shaklebolt gave you? That's perfect! You blend right it with the rest of security."

The Weasley laughed. "That's the plan, Harry."

Draco looked confused. "Why would you make it so obvious? I thought it was a secret guard."

"Apparently, muggle schools hire security to deal with teenagers fighting, and they always need more. I simply submitted a resume, and with a few memory charms- I was an accomplished Please Officer that wanted a school job! Merlin, it was easy."

"Police." Harry corrected, and moved on. "It's great to see how this is working. I think Kingsley was actually right. This vacation might be good after all."

Now the secretary was beckoning the new students toward her desk. The boys shook hands with Bill as though they had only just met him, and moved to take their schedules. The flustered woman behind the desk frantically sorted her papers, handed them each a map of the school, and sent them on their way with a half hearted "Have a good day!"

The wizards left the office in search of their first class of muggle high school. Surprising themselves, they were actually excited.

The day should have started off easily enough for the boys. They skidded into first period English just as the bell was ringing, and this left no time for them to be bombarded by curious students.

Their teacher was a bubbly middle-aged woman who loved to prattle about her son. He had just left for his first year of college, and was just _so_ nervous, and was worried about _everything_…

Harry wondered how this boy would have survived boarding school at age eleven.

The teacher, Mrs. V-something, discussed a book that they would be reading, and immediately assigned a project. Draco and Harry put their heads together and quietly discussed the paper that they were given. It seemed almost- juvenile.

* * *

**WELCOME TO MRS. VICKLIND'S GRADE 11 ENGLISH **

Our first project of the year will be a combination of "Getting to Know You," and "Identifying Yourself," which will be related to the novel being read, Speak.

This assignment will require:

-A description and/or visual of your family tree.

-A box containing three of your most prized possessions, a description of each item and it's importance. Please note that pictures of items of value will be accepted.

-A presentation on what is the most important thing in your life. A visual aide is mandatory for this portion of your assignment.

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Draco muttered to Harry. "This is going to give out an awful lot of information. Should we do it?"

"We have to do it, Draco. It's not optional. It's probably harmless."

Startling Draco, the raven shyly raised his hand, drawing attention to himself.

The teacher looked up from where she stood handing out papers, and pointed to him.

"Ah, yes. One of our newest friends!" She glanced at her attendance sheet and smiled at him. "Are you Harrison?"

Harry cuffed Draco over the head as the blond boy snorted and erupted into quiet fits of laughter.

He blushed, looked at his shoes, and responded. "Um, Just Harry. Please, ma'am."

He ignored the outbreak of whispers about his accent and asked his question when the teacher motioned for him to do so.

"You have asked for us to present the most important thing in our lives. Must it be an object?"

"Not necessarily, dear," the woman answered kindly. "If you are suggesting something live- a pet, maybe? Then you may bring it to the school on this day. Is that what you meant?" She then relayed the question aloud, as though the entire class hadn't just listened to the exchange, and added, "So no- your most important thing does not have to be an inanimate object."

Harry grinned. "Thank you."

Since there were no more questions, the teacher allowed the class the remaining ten minutes to compare schedules and make friends.

Harry and Draco groaned.

All too soon, the girls of the class were subtly placing themselves closer to the wizard's desks, and the boys in the class were looking jealous and angry.

Draco suddenly cringed as a girl with a generous chest and too tight of a shirt dropped to the floor on his left to "pick up a pencil." She braced herself on his arm as she rose.

"I'm sorry," she apologized. "My pencil dropped, and I- oh _wow_ you're strong!" She squeezed and Draco pulled his arm from her grasp angrily. Harry gripped his wrist.

"Just calm down, mate." he told the Slytherin. Now the girl was making herself comfortable sitting on Draco's desk, and he leaned back onto the hind legs of his chair to create some distance between them.

Apparently, he leaned too far and the chair toppled, bringing down Draco and the desk behind him. The blond boy shook his head, embarrassed, and reached for the hand offered to him. Once on his feet, there was a boy with light brown hair introducing himself to him. Draco's arm was pumped in a handshake.

"Hey! I'm Mike Newton. These chairs aren't too sturdy, you ought to be a bit careful."

"Yeah, I figured. Thanks. 'm Draco Malfoy," the blond muttered. He moved to take his bruised fingers back, but Mike suddenly gripped more firmly and flipped his arm.

"_Damn_, man! That is so _tight!_ You're 'rents let you get a _tattoo_?"

Now Draco was fuming. _"Let me?"_ he growled. He ripped his arm out of reach and stalked across the room to wait for the bell by the door. He looked pointedly at Harry, then sulked against the wall.

The Boy Who Lived winced. Draco was _pissed._

He turned to the Newton boy.

"Hi, I'm Harry. Sorry about my friend, he's in a mood… Just- don't ask him about the Dar- um, the tattoo alright? That's a touchy subject for him. He glanced at the girl still perched on the desk. Twice since arriving here, he had been reminded of Lavender Brown. In this case- it was a negative comparison.

"**Don't mention the tattoo**. _That_ is a fact you might actually want to spread around. Maybe I'll see you all later."

He walked away to wait with Draco.

As he stood with his friend, he reached into his bookbag and conjured a thin sweatshirt into his grip. Pulling it from the bag as though it had been there all along, he handed it to Draco and the boy hurried to put it on as they talked quietly.

"Congratulations, Malfoy. You made it 40 minutes in a t-shirt for the first time in more than a year. You know, you've got to stop hiding it someday. No one here even knows what it means."

"I wasn't _hiding_, Potter. Cloaks were just convenient, and as a Malfoy, it is expected that I wear my robes in public," The boy sneered.

"Maybe," said Harry. "But you don't have robes here, and you are still wearing long sleeves all the time…" he left the sentence hanging.

The bell rang, and the blond boy shoved the door with his shoulder and walked ahead to find his next class. "I'll tell you what, Harry. I will stop hiding as soon as you do."

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NOTE: hehe I didn't have that ending conversation until about 5 minutes ago. I decided I would make it a bit of an argument between the two since they have been a little too friendly so far. They are still supposed to get angry every once in a while. I am happy that i was able to get this up tonight. I have some more of the next chapters already hand-written, but it might take a while for me to get them up. please be patient, it won't be too long! PS. does anyone have any ideas for how to refer to our main characters? "Draco and Harry did this..." "The wizards..." "The boys..." "The Raven-haired boy..." etc. all of these are getting bring and repetitive. Any suggestions? Please let me know!

Love you all!

darkestAngel13


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: **Hello, readers! Here's a note to say that I don't own anything that you are about to recognize. I am not Rowling or Meyer, and I don't even own the "Snapple" that is mentioned once in this chapter. Also, I want to let everyone know that any terms used in this story are not intended to be offensive or malicious in any way. Please notice that there is also a message on the bottom of the page. I hope you enjoy chapter7!

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In the walk between classes, Draco had calmed down and was focused on memorizing hallways. He and Harry had been forced to separate for the second period, and the Slytherin would be wandering alone. He made his way to French, and the Gryffindor to History.

Luckily, save for the annoying stares and whispers, both boys were able to make it through the following time blocks without much of a hassle.

They had also not seen the Cullens at all.

When 5th period lunch arrived, Harry walked along the line of plexi-glass windows in the hall before spotting Draco inside. He made his way through the door closest to his friend, and was surprised to see that the purebloodwas sitting at a table with several other students. At the far end of the cafeteria, he noticed the unmistakable Cullen family hunched together at a round table, picking at the government-supplied food. Curious about his house-mate's choice in table, he headed in that general direction, while keeping an eye on the Cullens. Harry passed by an open window and Edward's eyes snapped up to catch his directly. Unlike the first time they had met, Edward kept the gaze, and held it for a moment. The black-haired wizard felt his magic sizzle at the core, and on his right a glass Snapple bottle shattered. A girl shrieked as she was doused in iced tea. Harry promptly rushed to Draco's side.

"Hey, Potter." the boy said. He was unwrapping one of the brown-bag lunches that they packed that morning. Harry had remembered the awful food that was served in his primary school, and while it was better than Aunt Petunia's watery soups and burned toast, that wasn't saying much at all. He demanded that they did not buy the school lunches, and Draco was fine with it.

Harry stared blankly at his friend, and the boy suddenly got the hint, introducing the muggle he sat with.

"Um, this is Eric. Right? He sat next to me in French, where the prof… teacher was being a total prick. Made me introduce myself in front of the class in the _"foreign_ _language." _He said this while making air quotes with his fingers, and then laughed. "I bet she thought she'd actually embarrass me. Idiot. She should have known I was fluent- _Je m'appelle Draco Malfoy…" _he demonstrated in a flawless accent. Eric snickered and moved over for Harry to sit down.

"So, you are Harry Potter?"

"Yeah." the boy in question responded. But he was distracted, and glanced again at the Cullen's table. They were _all_ looking at him now, and Edward was furiously muttering something with his brothers. Abruptly, he stalked out of the room, and Harry sighed.

"Ah, " said Eric. "You've noticed the Cullens?"

"We've met," Draco told him. "Nutters."

Hearing this, some of the others at the table joined the conversation. Evidently, the Cullens were an interesting topic for them.

"What do you know about them?" Harry asked a girl named Angela. She giggled and told him.

"The Cullens moved here a few years ago from Alaska. They're all like- together, but they aren't really related so I guess it's okay. But they're probably like, delinquents or murderers or something. I mean, who is still in the foster program at that age? Their real families probably chucked them out. And it's a shame really, because like- Dr. and Mrs. Cullen are really good people. Maybe it's like, charity or something."

Harry was angry. He could see that Draco was seething just beneath the surface as well. This girl had absolutely no idea what it was like to not have a legitimate family. She had no business running her mouth on a topic that she didn't understand.

The two wizards looking at each other silently communicated the mutual need to eave. They rose swiftly from the table, left the cafeteria, and left several shocked muggles behind.

With the new boys out of sight, the table of students glared at Angela.

"I don't understand!" she cried. "What did I say? He _asked_ what I knew."

Eric huffed at her. "Jeez Angela. Do you have any tact? Think about it! They came from that Phoenix House place. I _told_ you that we should make friends with them. Maybe Draco and Harry are the delinquent murderers. You might have just labeled us all as next victim."

Here, Mike Newton looked up from a burrito.

"Eric, I don't think that they are killers. I have a different theory actually. Think about this…

They both just moved to town, and they are living with other people that don't seem to be very social. Those people can't be their parents though, because they arrived at different times. Remember? That crooked guy that's like 20something got here about a month before them! _And_Draco got pissed 'cuz I said something about his parents and his, um- never mind. BUT, I'll bet that they got angry cuzAngela called kids with no family a charity case. I'll bet that they're orphans. That baby they've got too. That's probably why they're angry."

The table was silent, and Mike returned to his burrito. "It was just a thought," he muttered.

Finally,

"Wow." said Eric. "Mikey is actually making sense!"

A girl named Jessica looked down the table.

"I agree with Mike. And besides, they can't be living with their parents. I saw that crooked guy too, Mike. He's too young to be one of their fathers, and he looks nothing like them. Unless… well, there _was_ that guy that drove them this morning. Remember? He had blond hair."

"No." Mike said. "I thought about that too. First off, his hair was too dark to match that Malfoy kid's, and the rest of them still looked really different. These guys look rich though. He's probably just a chauffeur."

The table laughed and nodded, but their mood was subdued.

"Well, if you're right, then I feel like a jerk." Angela said. He voice was muffled as she buried her face in her arms.

"Don't feel bad, Angela. You couldn't have known, and we still aren't sure." Jessica patted her shoulder and then got up to dump her lunch tray.

"I'll see you guys later," she announced to them. "I'm going to the bathroom before sixth period starts."

Her friends laughed and groaned at her being so straightforward.

Then, Mike had another idea. He really seemed to be on a streak!

"I've got it! It's not exactly a topic that we can just ask these guys about, but I am sure that they will say something in their English project! Now we only have to wait until Wednesday!"

Harry and Draco waited out the lunch period in a secluded hallway. Leaning against an emergency exit door, Harry could hear the rain pounding the pavement on the other side.

Draco walked back to him from where he had spat out a Phlegm Berty Botts Bean in a trashcan, and relaxed on the floor next to his friend. After a few minutes of silence, Harry decided to mention the Cullens' staring- particularly Edward's.

"I don't know what it meant, Malfoy. I caught his eye and I felt… I don't know." He dropped his voice, "My magic almost felt _sharp._ It _burned_ for a moment. I mean, it didn't hurt, but it didn't… actually, it sort of felt good."

Draco was thinking hard about it. "I don't know either, Harry. I've never even heard of it. Maybe it had nothing to do with Cullen. You know, maybe just a power surge or something."

"Yeah, maybe." But Harry wasn't convinced. He leaned back against the door again and closed his eyes deep in thought. He was frustrated and confused with the image of who came to the forefront of his mind first. The boys were quiet again for a few minutes, the silence only interrupted by Draco's rummaging through the Berty Botts box. Then, Harry heaved a deep sigh.

"Hey, Draco?"

"mHm."

"Do you remember what I talked to you about? The first time you convinced me you were a part of the Order?"

Draco considered this for a minute, and then-

"Oh, you mean that you thought you- oh!" Harry gave him a look.

"Yes, I remember. I told you it's not a big deal. It's actually common in our world. It's natural."

"I know," sighed Harry. "You already told me that, but I still can't bring myself to agree. I mean, who wants a faggot to be their savior?" He punched the tiled floor and cursed as one of his knuckles split. He put the finger in his mouth and Draco looked at him disapprovingly.

"Besides," Harry continued when the bleeding had ceased. "We aren't in our world, and it's not "natural" here! As my aunt said so many times- freaks are unnatural. I remember even when I was a little kid, there were these two guys in the grocery holding hands, and Aunt Petunia was so nasty about it. We got out of there right away, and she talked about them for days. _'Never be like them, Dudley- just a bunch of freaks and queers!'_

"Stop it Potter, you know that's all just rubbish."

"No, it's not Draco. It's fact. I - am - Gay. I know it now. And what's worse- I think I've even been actually attracted to someone. But he looks at me like I'm- I'm… _disgusting_, Draco! And that's just my life, too. Never working out how _I _want it to. And I won't even be able to say anything about it! It's not an easy topic to just mention in conversation. Who wants to be around a freaking shirt lifter?

Draco knelt in front of the ranting teenager and said in a fierce whisper, "Would you stop calling yourself names!? Merlin, Potter. Sometimes you have worse esteem than Longbottom! Why do you always care so much about what the public thinks of you? Our kind should not care, and you already saved our hides, so they have no right to say anything anyway!

Deal with what _you_ want for once, Harry. And if you want to go after a bloke, then Merlin help me you should do it! I won't stop you."

"Just then, a girl who had been sitting at their lunch table turned around the corner. She was not succeeding in hiding the look of shock from her face. She heard Draco curse colorfully and mutter something about 'forgetting to muffliato,' whatever that meant.

Harry groaned and covered his face with his hands as he slouched further against the door. The wind shifted outside, howling and whistling relentlessly, and rain showered against the windows in sheets, creating odd patterns as it flowed down the panes of glass.

"Harry?" The girl approached him and squatted next to him. She peeled his hands away from his face and noted that Draco was now looking around the halls, probably searching for other eavesdroppers. Harry's hands dropped, revealing emerald green eyes laced with shame.

"Harry," she repeated. "I know you don't know me yet- I'm Jessica, but I need to tell you. I heard what your friend just said to you, and I only heard the last bit, so most of your conversation is still secret, but what he said was right. If you want to 'go after a bloke…'

I mean- if you're gay, then there's nothing wrong with that. Well, a few others might not be okay with it, but I will be!" She smiled at the new boy, and was surprised when he clasped her arm gently.

"Thanks," he said. He opened his mouth to say something else, but the bell rang. He snatched his bookbag, and darted down the hall, side by side with his blond friend.

Harry ducked into his biology class with Draco a step behind him. He ran a hand over his face to try and clear traces of too much emotion, while they stood awkwardly at the teacher's desk waiting for the man to organize files and papers for them. He finally introduced himself as Mr. B- just Mr. B, and directed them to desks. Draco was sent to the far left corner to sit next to a short pale girl that blushed spectacularly when he sat down. Harry was placed across the aisle from Malfoy, and was sharing a table with none other, than Edward Cullen. Glad that his magic wasn't reacting as it had before, Harry gathered himself and turned to the boy.

"Hello Edward. It's good to see a familiar face. Had a good two weeks?" He was not expecting an answer. After all, Edward had never once spoken to him at the mall. Harry was positively shocked when he heard the response.

"Hello, Harry. I hope you have gotten settled in your new home. Are you enjoying Forks?"

The Gryffindor looked up from the textbook he had been skimming, and nodded his head, which caused his shaggy hair to re-settle around his face and fall into his eyes.

Edward shifted in his seat, rested his jaw in one palm with his middle finger across his chin and his index finger beneath his nose. His posture was stiff.

"Forks is okay so far," Harry said. He was excited that this actually seemed to be a conversation.

"I really needed to get away from home, and I've got some mates with me, so I am comfortable here." he sighed, and noticed that Edward shifted again. This time, he had placed his knees toward the outside of the table's legs, as though it would be quicker and easier to get up and leave.

"Um, not to be nosy or anything, but are you sick?" Harry asked him, and received a raised eyebrow in response.

"Not like… It's just, I saw you left the cafeteria really quick before, and right now you seem, uncomfortable or something."

Edward chuckled softly and Harry turned immediately to look at Draco as he felt his magic sizzle again. Eyes wide, he tried to communicate the feeling to his friend; Draco only looked at him confusedly, and splayed his hands palm-up in a "what do you want _me_ to do?" gesture.

Edward was speaking again, and Harry turned back.

"I'm fine," he was saying. "Thanks for your concern. My brothers, they were just giving me some trouble, teasing and stuff. It's horrible being the youngest."

"What about you and Draco? You left early too."

Harry narrowed his eyes in thought.

"How would you have known that? You were already gone, and the other kids said that they don't really talk to you."

"No, they don't." Edward answered. "My siblings and I keep to ourselves mostly. But people were thinking about it for the rest of that time block. They were hoping you guys weren't angry or something."

Now Harry was curious. "But how would you know that either? You. Weren't. There."

This boy was frustrating.

"I know," said Edward. "But you can just see it, you know? The student body doesn't want you to be angry with them. We want to make a good impression.

Harry figured that made sense. Not many people actually tried to upset the new kid at school. He glanced over at Draco again. The boy seemed utterly perplexed by the electronic microscope that was on the desk in front of him. They definitely would need to talk about muggle technology more at home.

Harry laughed aloud at his friend's expense, and looked back at the textbook.

He completely missed the dazzling smile that crossed Edward's face.

* * *

**NOTE! **Okay, I enjoyed writing this chapter a lot. Firstly, it passed 45 minutes that could have been wasted doing Spanish work. I mean really- the substitute offers "Translate this list of 100 verbs, or do whatever you want." What do you think we chose? lol. Also, it's a bit longer than the others that I have posted, so it was fun to write.

I hope that no one was upset of offended by Harry's coming-out to his friend. Please know that since this is a high school, and no secret can stay secret, this topic will occur again. If anyone is upset by comments or terms, please let me know, and I may be able to change it to something more appropriate. I do not see anything wrong with it though. It is just writing, and none of it is meant to be degrading.

Thanks so much for sticking with my story so far! You should know that I do enjoy messages, emails, and reviews of any kind. No matter how short or long, they will be read, considered, appreciated, (and responded to, if I think it is necessary.) So be brutally honest please- no need to be shy. I am a big girl :)

--darkestAngel13


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N:**Hello Fanfiction readers! I am once again here telling you that I don't won anything that youa re about to read. Any character, place, brand name, etc. that you might recognize does not belong to me. Hope you enjoy chapter 8! Remember that there might be language or terms that some may find offensive. Keep in mind that none of it is written with malicious intent. Please note that there is another message at the end of the chapter, Thank you! :)

* * *

Harry left Biology in a fog. He remained in the half-dazed state straight through math and 10 minutes into the computer-programming course that he and Draco had elected to take. They figured that it would be a class where it was perfectly acceptable to be clueless around technology. Finally, Draco leaned across a keyboard and smacked his friend upside the head.

"Ow!" Harry cringed. "What the hell is your problem?"

"My problem, Harry? You're the one who's been staring at space for the last 10 minutes!"

"I am _not _staring at space," Harry defended himself. "I'm just looking at the keyboard here."

Draco's lips twitched upward and he pointed at the keys. The Space Bar glared up at the wizards, and they broke into silent laughter.

"Yeah Harry. You're looking, but you're not focused at all. Now give me a hand, I'm lost here."

Harry helped the pureblood turn on his computer, and explained quietly what the monitor was.

"The screen part, Draco; Like the T.V. I showed you, only a bit different…"

**********

At last the school day was over.

As students filtered into the parking lot, Harry and Draco made themselves comfortable on a hard plastic bench, and moments later they were joined by Angela and Jessica. Immediately, Angela jumped at her opportunity to apologize.

"Draco? Harry? I am really sorry if I offended you or anything at lunch. It was stupid and thoughtless, and totally rude of me to talk about something I don't know about. I'd… well, I would apologize to the Cullens too, if you think it would be right to. D- d'you think that would be good? I'm just so sorry, and I don't usually just gossip like that, I wasn't thinking and--"

--"Would you please stop talking?" The Slytherin's patience had run out only seconds after the girl began speaking.

"Look, we forgive you," Harry calmed the girl. "We know you didn't mean anything, we just got steamed for a bit. Don't sweat it. Draco and me, we just aren't very tolerant of, well, lots of things. But really- it's okay."

The girl nodded her head and seemed to relax, just before a large jeep rolled past. Emmett, the broadest Cullen was perched on a rear seat, holding onto one of the beams in front of him. He looked just like a guard dog.

Angela's pulse jumped in alarm and Draco sighed.

"Silly girl, we aren't going to make you talk to them." Hearing this, she slumped against the bench.

"Thank you," she breathed.

Dedalus pulled the Lotus up to the curb, and Harry stood up quickly. He was more than anxious to see his godson. He extended his hand to Angela.

"Let's start again, shall we? Hi, I'm Harry Potter. My friend Draco and me just moved to Forks. I think that we could all be good friends. See you tomorrow, Angela!"

Just before the wizards climbed into their car, Harry locked his gaze with Jessica's. She nodded at him, then turned and pulled Angela away. Walking in the opposite direction, they heard the click of locks being opened, a broken greeting of "How's my li--" and then the slam of car doors.

**************

"I'm telling you, Alice! I don't understand it either! I couldn't hear them at all, and his _smell!_ It _burned_. Alice- I haven't felt like that since I was a newborn, I think. In fact, I know. I remember Carlisle talking to me about it. I must have just woken up. That's _just_ how this felt. Well, I wanted to bite him, but more of me wanted to…" he trailed off and ducked his head.

Alice giggled at her "younger" brother.

"Don't be embarrassed, Edward. I already knew you would feel that way. I saw it ages ago, but I just don't get why you can't hear him."

"Me either! And it's not just him, his friend too! I tried, and each time I just reached a solid metal wall. It reminded me of a bank safe, actually quite impressive," he mused.

"I just _have_ to know more about him, Alice. I _need_ to."

It was then that he noticed the blank look in her eyes. He waited eagerly, until she sprang up with a squeal.

"Oh, I know just what to do, Edward. I've got to go- I need to make a phone call!"

Edward groaned and fell backward onto the couch in his room. "Close the door," he mumbled lazily at her retreating back. Then he snorted, wondering why he had asked for the door to be closed.

_"It's not as though 2 inches of wood will keep them out,"_ he thought to himself. _"No privacy…"_

The bronze haired boy lifted a remote control to an expensive looking stereo-system on a shelf, and music flowed from all corners of the room. He covered his face with a cushion, as if he could suffocate himself, and growled as an image of emerald eyes and wonderfully scruffy raven hair came to the front of his mind.

*****************

Harry was very glad that Dedalus was not asking about their day. However, the man seemed to be entirely avoiding the subject of school, electing to tell about each and every aspect of his adventurous day with a small turquoise-haired child.

Finally, the Gryffindor felt something click in his head.

"Dedalus," he interrupted the his monologue of the fourth diaper change fiasco/

"Erm, Yes? Harry?" The elder wizard glanced at him in the rear view mirror, but quickly returned his eyes to the wet road.

"Do I have guards at the school too? I mean, apart from Bill?"

Draco sat up straighter. This question involved him too.

"Well, naturally, boys. We do need more than one guard on duty at any given time. They will always remain hidden unless the need arises."

Malfoy spun around in his seat, the safety belt straining against his shoulder. He looked at Harry with "I'm Sorry," in his silver eyes.

"And, you all communicate throughout the day? About what's going on in the school?" Harry asked Dedalus.

"Of course, Harry. We should always be, erm, informed…"

Dedalus trailed off again, and Harry groaned loudly.

"Drop the act then, Dedalus! I don't care. You can tell the entire fucking world, but I don't give a damn anymore. Just stop freaking dancing around it! Talk to me normally, I'm still Harry! If I am so _disgusting _to you or something, then you can clear off. I am still in charge of the guard's actions, and I can have Kingsley replace you in a snap."

The elder wizard pulled the car over to the side of the road. Harry prepared himself to get out and walk home in the rain, but as he gripped the handle, the driver grabbed his knew and forced him to look up.

"Harry, you misunderstand. I don't care what you're sexual orientation is. I have been around many wizards and witches that prefer the, ah, company of their own gender, and I can assure you that I don't think it disgusting. You may find that many of our kind will share this opinion. One of the guards merely contacted the house that you seemed to be distressed over the topic, and I figured it would be best to leave it unmentioned. I apologize, Harry- but I am not very good at avoiding discussions. I am a rather excited man. Perhaps this is why Albus and I got along so well? But Harry, you must know that I have no intention of leaving this guard."

With that, he shifted back onto the road and the pattering of rain on the windshield increased in volume.

Harry sighed and released his grip on the door, instead running his fingers through Teddy's soft locks.

"Good," he murmured. "If any of the others are going to be homophobic though Diggle, it will be your job to send them packing."

Dedalus giggled from the front seat. "Yes Sir!"

As the turned into the driveway and the car angled downward into the spacious garage, Harry began to unbuckle the straps that harnessed his godson.

"I missed you today, Baby Boy. I'm sorry for swearing."

He tickled the boy's ears and pretended to be stern, talking in his "mature parent voice."

"Don't grow up to be like your godfather," he told the boy. He heard Draco chuckle from the passenger seat.

"…and don't be like your Uncle Draco either." he finished.

They finally all poured out of the car and walked into the house. Harry was going to make himself a snack, and spend some time playing with Teddy. Then, he had homework to do.

* * *

NOTE: Hey there everybody. Here's a note from the newbie asking if anyone can explain what "hits" are on my story. If this is something that I should know by now, sorry- but I'm not so sure if I understand.

Thanks so much to everyone who added me to alerts, favorites, and especially to those who reviewed. You are all SO amazing, and I love you for filling my inbox with more exciting things than junk mail and chain letters. The next few chapters will be up soon!!!!!!

darkestAngel13


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: **for small notes and thanks, please see the previous chapters. P.S. I don't own anything you recognize. It all belongs to Rowling and Meyer. _::things written like this are parsletongue::_

* * *

Two teenagedwizards were sprawled on the living room floor of their home, each attempting to finish their first night's worth of High School Homework. When at last they managed to put away their mathand history textbooks, Draco pulled an assignment sheet close to them both.

"This is due on Wednesday, Harry. We should probably start it now."

"Fine," Harry agreed. "But let me bring Teddy down here, ok? I feel guilty after leaving all day."

He got up and retrieved the child from his crib in an upstairs room. Remus' son was asleep for a nap so Harry placed him in a playpen that he pulled next to their work area.

"Alright," he began grabbing a pen and notebook.

"Family- Tree- for- Potter…

…

… "

"Draco?"

The Slytherinwas already scribbling in his own notebook: his pen flying a mile a minute, the heading "MALFOY" clearly visible at the top.

The blond head looked up at Harry.

"I may not be proud of my family, Harry, but I am very proud of my heritage. That is something about me that I don't want to change. Don't worry, I am muggle-izingoccupations and such, but I am keeping my family tree intact." he said his stubbornly, with unmistakable pride in his voice.

"No, that's not what I was going to say. I just don't know much about the Potters- besides my Dad of course. D'you think that I'd be allowed to make a sort of improvised tree?"

"I don't see why not," Draco answered him. He scowled, drawing a line to connect siblings

**"ANDROMEDA NARCISSA BELLATRIX "**

"Good," said Harry, and he began to write.

Two hours later, the boys each had one poster board and a box stacked against the wall of the living room. Neither had asked the other what their final project looked like, and they had not discussed their possessions.

Draco had suggested that they empty and shrink their Hogwarts trunks to use as their boxes, and Harry had thought it was a brilliant idea. They would already be labeled with their initials and would personalize their presentations a bit more. The boys had a fun time clearing out the old trunks- sorting parchment scraps, broken quills, and forgotten letters before shrinking the cases to a fraction of their original sizes.

*******

After dinner, Harry was playing on the floor of his bedroom with his godson and Draco was shooting sparks into the air with his wand.

"Alright, Malfoy! Let's go for a walk before you burn the house down." Harry was exasperated.

"Oh, excellent!" said the blond boy excitedly. "This was worse than Binns' class."

He whistled through his teeth and Razor bounded into the room with a harness held between his strong jaws.

_"Sometimes,"_ Harry thought, _"That panther behaves more like a dog."_

Razor, upon noticing the snake tank that Harry had constructed within one length of a wall, immediately raced over to it and placed his over-sized paws on the glass.

Anaklusmos loudly voiced her disapproval of having a large furry head in her face.

_::Calm yourself, Ana.::_ Harry scolded her. ::_Just ignore him.::_

Draco suppressed a shiver and fastened the harness and leash to Razor's torso.

"You know, that is really so much cooler when it's you speaking it."

Harry didn't have to ask him to clarify the statement as he strapped Teddy into the Snuggly on his back and snapped his wand to a holster on his wrist. Draco also snapped a holster into place and the wizards left the house.

*******

"Where should we wander?" Harry asked his companion. He smoothed the cap that covered Teddy's head.

"I dunno, let's just head toward the village."

Being eight thirty in the evening, there were few people walking around the village of Forks, and the wizards were glad to explore without an overwhelming number of curious passerby. Instead, when they sat outside of a small ice cream shop to enjoy a snack, only three boys approached them.

_If you can all them boys, _the Hogwarts alumni thought.

They were more like solid slabs of muscle and meat that stood about 6.4', towering over Harry's 5.6' and even Draco's 5.7'

Draco gave his familiar a nudge in the ribs as the panther raised his hackles and growled deep.

Razor was always trying to act tough, but being forever trapped in his adorable "awkward cub" stage, his attempts at intimidation were laughable.

Much to Draco's dismay, the remaining three chairs at their plastic picnic table were drawn out and occupied by the large males. He felt for the want hidden up his sleeve, saw Harry do the same, and made to get up and throw away his empty bowl and spoon. He ignored the invaders.

"Hey, Hey! Where are you going?" a boyish voice called at him, and he gave Razor's leash a sharp tug. The panther would not move and was keeping Draco firmly planted in his char. Draco thought this was extremely odd. Usually, he and razor agreed on everything, but in this case, his familiar would not take his eyes off the boy who had spoken.

_Typical-_ he was the largest of the three.

Sighing, Draco looked at Harry, who seemed very confused by the random visit of the boys, and the aristocrat finally spoke up.

"Who are you, and what do you want?"

Two of the three boys laughed uproariously, and the third silenced them with a look.

"Don't laugh at him! We probably just startled them."

Draco nodded at the stranger sticking up for him, and sneered at the others. They backed up their flimsy chairs, which grated against the concrete sidewalk with an unpleasant sound. Under the streetlight, it became visible that their features were Native American. Draco assumed that the third one was as well. He looked questioningly at that one.

"Well?"

"I'm sorry. My name's Jacob Black. I- well, _we, _saw you, um, _both-" _he glanced at Harry, but seemed to only talk to Draco, "and decided to welcome Forks' newest resident-ces…"

He let out his breath in a heavy _woosh _and ran a hand through his long locks of black hair as though speaking that simple introduction had been terrible work for him. Indeed, it seemed to have been, with all his stuttering and stumbling.

"Jacob _Black?_" Harry asked curiously.

"Yeh." said the male in question.

"And this is Quil and Embry. We all live on the Quileute Reservation in La Push. And your name is?"

He had been talking to Harry, but oddly only directed his question to Draco.

Harry huffed at being so blatantly ignored, and Quil and Embry snickered again. Draco hadn't noticed anything strange, and was about to introduce himself when Razor suddenly jolted forward and buried his nose into the crotch of Jacob's jeans- sniffing him rather rudely.

"RAZOR!" Draco scolded loudly. He pulled the panther tightly to his side, and to his own surprise, rapped the animal sharply on the nose in discipline.

"I'm sorry," he told the boy. "He never does that. I don't know what his issue is tonight.

My name is Draco Malfoy."

Jacob laughed and shook the pale boy's hand.

"Draco? Awesome name- like Dragon, huh? Well Draco, don't worry about your friend there. I get along quite well with um, dogs and such- he probably just smells another kind of animal on me… um, what _is_ he exactly?"

Draco hesitated for one second too long, and Harry came to his aid.

"Razor is a panther cub, but he's got a genetic growth disorder. A friend of ours trained him up and gave him to Draco a while back. He's got papers and everything. I'm Harry, by the way."

Jacob looked at Harry as though only just realizing that he was actually there. The Gryffindor raised an eyebrow, and Jacob suddenly appeared crushed.

"D'you want to finish our walk with us?" Draco asked the three Quileutes. Harry gaped at him in shock over Jacob's shoulder, and Draco sent him back an _"I don't know where it came from, either!" _signal with wide eyes, but Jacob jumped up like an over-eager puppy.

"Sure!" he said

"Actually, no-" Embry cut in.

"All three of us have to head back to the Rez. There's something we _really _have to talk to Jake's dad about."

Jacob's face fell.

"Another time, okay?" he asked Draco almost pleadingly. "Let's hang out. I'll come by on the weekend!"

"Sure," Draco told him. He wasn't sure why it seemed normal for him to talk to this muggle, but he couldn't fins it in himself to say no.

"We should head back anyway. C'mon, Harry."

He clicked his tongue at Razor, who turned away from Jacob and returned to his side.

The two groups of males headed in opposite directions, and as soon as they were out of earshot Jacob jumped on his two best friends, shouting and hooting. The three of them made their way back to La Push shoving, teasing, and laughing with each other.

_"Dragon,"_ the largest of the three was thinking.

*******

"That was so _random_, Draco!" Harry exclaimed when they got back to the house.

"What?" The Slytherin responded innocently. "I was being friendly. Aren't you always telling me to be friendly?"

"Yes, Malfoy. But don't be friendly to the giant ones that look at you like something to eat! Merlin, Draco. Couldn't you tell he was _staring_ at you? He completely ignored me. Don't you think that's weird?"

"Don't be jealous, Potter. Just because I'm attractive…" he placed the back of his hand on his forehead and sighed dramatically.

Harry laughed at his friend's antics.

"Forget it then, mate. I'm just being paranoid. They seemed nice enough. I'm going to bed, see you bright and early!"

With that, Harry carried Teddy upstairs to their respective bedrooms.

Draco knelt down and cupped Razor's face in his hands.

"What _was_ that all about, Razor?"

The cub purred deep in it's chest and butted his head against Draco's palms.

"Yeah, I guess so," Draco sighed. Then he too headed up the stairs toward his bedroom, his familiar trotting close at his heels.

*******

The next morning, Harry left Teddy to occupy himself in the playpen with Dedalus watching at a close distance in the kitchen. Grabbing an apple off the counter, he patted his pocket for his keys and entered the garage. Draco was already there, pulling his helmet delicately over his carefully gelled hair.

"You ready?" he asked. Harry nodded, bit into the apple and straddled the seat of his bike. He pulled his helmet off a shelf and, after finishing his apple, secured it on his head.

As one, the boys kicked the bikes to life and raced out of the garage with a scream of rubber on pavement.

Ten minutes later, they pulled into the student lot side by side. Immediately, the blatant stares and not-so-quiet whispers became obvious. Harry and Draco grinned beneath their shaded helmets. Sometimes, attention wasn't _so_ bad.

Walking into first period English with their helmets tucked under arms, Harry and Draco were surprised to see Alice Cullen standing at the teacher's desk, discussing something privately. Then the girl thanked the teacher and skipped over to a desk on the side of the room. Harry strode up beside her, Draco trailing reluctantly behind him.

"Alice, remember me? I'm Harry. What are you doing in this class?"

"Oh hello, Harry! Of course I remember you." She greeted him with a blinding smile. "How have you been doing in Forks? I just had to transfer to first period English. I used to have it seventh, but some stuff came up, and since it's still the same teacher, they said it was okay. I had no idea you would be here, though! How fun…"

Harry was taken aback by the verbal diarrhea that poured from the small girl. She seemed even more excited than she had at the mall- if that was even possible.

"Oh, that's great then! Welcome to first period. You're seats next to mine, and Draco's on my other side. This should be cool. Forks has been pretty good so far, by the way."

Soon after their conversation, the classroom became more crowded and the class began. The rest of the day passed by, and Harry found himself very jittery by about 4th period. He realized soon enough that it was because he would be seeing Edward. He was frightened by the affect that the boy was having on hi, It wasn't normal to feel such a way toward someone you just met. And yet, Harry couldn't help it.

*******

During 5th period, as he and Draco unpacked their lunches at Mike Newton's table, Harry found himself desperately searching for the object of his confusion, and then- there he was.

Edward was sitting behind his two brothers, almost hidden from the Gryffindor's view, but he could be seen pulling a buttered roll into small pieces. These were then dropped disinterestedly back onto a plastic tray. Catching Harry's searching eyes, he sat up a bit straighter and then winced, pulling at his collar. Harry smiled at him, and he nodded back. Harry focused on the conversation at his own table.

***

"Edward! What is with you, man? You're attacking that bread. It's not like it did anything to you."

"Shut up, Emmett. I'm just…distracted." He lazily threw the pieces of break back onto his tray and looked up when he felt someones gaze on him. A pair of spying emerald eyes greeted him, and he felt the venom pool at the back of his throat. He sat up a bit, swallowed uncomfortably, and was delighted to see Harry smiling at him. Then the boy turned back to the students at his table.

Edward contemplated the blond boy sitting next to his raven-haired friend. This boy radiated aristocracy and pride, but no thoughts. Edward couldn't help himself, and sent a forceful probe of his mind toward the blond. He saw himself break through a solid metal wall, briefly caught sight of a dark shape on a pale arm, and heard several jumbled thoughts before he was suddenly thrown backward off his seat and crashing against the wall behind him.

The cafeteria was silent, but Edward heard the thoughts of most of the student body. They wanted to laugh at his misfortune, for no one had ever seen a Cullen so graceless. They were terrified of Emmett, who stood abruptly and pulled him to his feet… and they were wondering why one of the newest students, Draco Malfoy, was leaning against his lunch table, holding his head and groaning as if he had the world's worst migraine.

Edward glanced meaningfully at Jasper, and the cafeteria seemed to grow disinterested in the occurrence. Then, he subtly moved a vending machine a few feet to cover the dent that his back had created in the concrete wall.

The bell rang, and everyone moved on to sixth period.

Edward was more curious than ever before.

* * *

HOPE YOU LIKED IT! the next chapters should be up in the near future. Please review!

Rainbows, Unicorns, and other Happy things,

darkestAngel13


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: **Welcome to chapter 10! I don't own anything- all of it belongs to J.K. Rowling and Stephanie Meyer. I don't claim to be a fancy writer, but I am a 15 year old that enjoys writing stories, and hearing what others think about them! Fuel my Fire and review please! I hope you enjoy it...

* * *

It was seventh period.

Instead of completing a worksheet of quadratic equations, Harry and Draco were murmuring worriedly to each other.

On their way to sixth period, they had been dragged into an empty classroom, which was immediately warded and silenced. Bill Weasley in his security jacket was removing a disillusionment charm from Viktor Krum.

"What was all that about?" Harry had demanded of Draco.

"It was my occlumency barriers," the boy responded, still massaging his temples.

"I don't understand. My godfather trained me for years until they were solid, and it all just fell apart. Merlin, it _hurt. _I don't think it was just plain legilimency that broke them, either. I mean, it didn't pull memories, just made everything that I was thinking become more prominent."

Bill looked thoughtful.

"It has to be something connected to that Cullen boy. He fell back so hard I think I heard the wall crack! There must have been magic propelling him."

Harry glared at Draco, and then gulped.

_Were the Cullens dangerous? Was Edward trying to hurt Draco?_

Krum checked his watch and looked into the hallway through a glass panel in the door.

"We haff to discuss this later. Your class vill be starting soon. Try to be calm, and do not vorry. I vill stay close by."

With that, he disappeared again under cover of a charm and the rest of the wizards left the room. No one in the hall even noticed them leave.

When Harry had gone into Biology, he wondered if he would have the courage to confront Edward Cullen, but the boy was not there. Noting his questioning look, Mr. B informed him that Edward had been sent to the nurse after slamming his head against the wall. He was required to rest under surveillance for 40 minutes.

And now, in math class, Draco was telling Harry that his headache had dissipated and his mental barriers seemed to be firmly back in place.

"Harry," he said. "I know what I told you yesterday, and I'm sorry- but I want you to stay away from Cullen."

Harry's subconscious roared in protest, but he nodded to Draco anyway. He gathered his bookbag as the bell rang and lead the way to the gymnasium, where their physical education class would alternate with their computer course from the previous day.

He hoped that Draco would survive Muggle Sports.

******

The gym teacher was a broad shouldered bald man that insisted on being called "Coach."

Seeing Draco and Harry loitering uncertainly outside of the boy's locker room, he approached them and spat the whistle out of his mouth. It dangled on a cord around his thick neck.

"You two- new boys. You have gym in your old school?" He spoke while gesturing with his hands and sounding as though he came straight from the heart of New York City.

"Um, not exactly." Harry told him. He would not be explaining Quidditch matches and dueling clubs to a muggle.

"Well, here's how it works on my turf. Before my class, you will enter the locker room. You will find a uniform inside the locker assigned to you. You will change, you will participate, you will work, and you will sweat."

He skimmed down a chart in his hand.

"Malfoy, _Draco?_ Lord, boy. Number 304; Potter, Harrison- number 286. Get to it! I expect to see you changed and out here in less than four minutes." He pulled a stopwatch from his pocket and started it. "I'll meet you in the gym."

The wizards nodded and raced into the changing room. All around them boys were stripping down to boxers and briefs, shrugging on white t-shirts and blue shorts. Some of the more outgoing students joked with each other- showing off muscles and pushing one another against the cold metal lockers. Harry and Draco suddenly felt uncomfortable as each male in the room turned to watch them change. Apparently, they felt the need to size up their competition.

Harry reached his locker and noticed that Draco's was just down the line. The blond scowled at the short sleeves of his outfit, and reluctantly peeled off his black turtleneck. Harry hurried to pull the cotton T over his head. He had a scar that ran about 8 inches from his right floating rib and upward to his left shoulder blade. The roped scar had been a result of crashing against a rock following Voldemort's _avada kedavra _in the Forbidden Forrest. Madame Pomfrey never could heal it entirely and he did not want to answer any questions about it. Sliding off his regular shirt in the same motion as pulling on the uniform, the scar remained out of sight.

Eventually, the novelty of the new students in the locker room passed, and both the boys finished changing and met the rest of the class in the gym.

"Right," barked Coach. "We will start off easy today, men. **Some** of us are new to the concept of physical education. Let's begin with 30 sit-ups. When you're done, roll over and I want to see 30 push-ups. When you are finished, line up against that wall. I will be choosing teams for dodge ball."

Harry grimaced. He remembered dodge ball from primary school- it was horrible. Then again, he hadn't had practice dodging lethal spells and curses when he was nine years old.

As for push-ups and sit-ups, he knew that he and Draco would probably be the first to finish.

The Boy Who Lived had just rolled over onto his stomach and was bracing himself on his hands when he felt his magic sizzle again. The feeling not unpleasant, but not entirely enjoyable either.

Un-tucking his chin from his chest, he met Edward's eyes staring back at his own. Cullen was just turning over as well, and they kept the visual contact for a moment.

Draco let out a heavy breath from Harry's side and the Gryffindor swallowed hard, breaking his gaze on Edward. He pumped out the push-ups rapidly, then stood in unison with Draco. A second later, Edward followed.

Coach raised his eyebrows at the newcomers, obviously peeved that his fitness test had not weeded out two more wimps. He scanned the floor. Most of the boys were gasping, feebly pulling themselves to touch their elbows to their knees. Only a few were struggling though push-ups yet.

"Impressive, Potter, Malfoy. Usually only Edward can finish that quickly. There you go, Cullen. Maybe you will actually have some competition this year!"

***********

Harry was caught deep within his thoughts as he sped down the road toward home. With his eyes trained on Draco's back on the bike on front of him, those thoughts wandered unhindered to Edward.

Their gym class had gone spectacularly. The wizards dodged, slid, and ducked to avoid the montage of balls that were thrown their way. They, as new students, had become Prime Targets. Only Edward aimed elsewhere.

At one point, Harry had leaned far to his left to avoid a throw from Tyler Crowley, and found himself face to face with an oncoming ball from the opposite direction. Embracing defeat, he readied himself for the inevitable contact, and was surprised to hear Coach call, "Out, Cullen!"

Edward had shrugged his shoulders and walked to the side of the gym. On catching Harry's incredulous expression, he winked and mouthed "You're Welcome."

The bronze haired boy had left as son as the bell rang, and Harry was not able to catch up with him. He and Draco had changed quickly and set off on their bikes, eager to get home.

Now, as the two teens walked into the kitchen and threw their keys on the table, Harry swept up his godson from his playpen and kissed the boy's forehead.

"Are you excited, Teddy?" "You're going to high school tomorrow!"

The child blinked at him, and his hair changed to a faded blue. He didn't understand.

"Well, it doesn't matter," Harry told him.

"But I…" he sighed and spun the boy in a circle, whispering into his ear.

"Merlin, I cannot _wait_ to get back there."

* * *

**NOTE: **I hope that you enjoyed it! I know it was sort of a filler, but the next chapter should be much better. I think I should say that Coach is a carbon-copy of one of the Phys. Ed teachers in my school. Luckily, I don't have him, but I have seen him in the hallways and also heard him yelling orders to the guys at school. He is very "macho and tough."

Does anyone else hate when teenaged boys act all muscles and tough, but then have their ego shattered when they realize that they can't do push-ups and sit-ups? That's my favorite thing about fitness tests. I enjoy watching the idiots being taken down a notch.

Also, Harry and Draco weren't exercising at inhuman speed. While Edward holds back from his power in school, he is still using the strength of a physically fit teenaged male- which Draco and Harry have the ability to match.

The next chapter will be up sooner than this one was :) Please review or send me a message on your thoughts! --darkestAngel13


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N:**WOO! I can't believe that I had the time to do it, but I did! Two chapters on one day, again! I am so proud of the way this story is working. You guys are all amazing. In the last 3 hours, my inbox has filled considerably, and I am appreciative of all of it. Remember nothing here belongs to me, I'm just borrowing it for my own entertainment, and hopefully yours as well.

* * *

Wednesday morning dawned, bringing with it the usual rain and cloud cover that Forks was famous for. It seemed that alternating between driving the car and their motorcycles would become tradition for Draco and Harry. They were nervous that their projects stacked themselves neatly into the small backseat of the Lotus Evora. The boys still had not discussed their presentations, though both thought that they had a good idea of what the other was bringing- other than the obvious, of course.

Harry buckled Teddy into his car seat. He had added a potion to the boy's breakfast that would halt his morphing for three hours. He had then packed enough bottles spiked with the potion to ensure that Teddy's features would remain the same all day. Harry was nervous as to how the school would respond to him having a baby. While Teddy was not biologically his, they were related legally, and the teenager only hoped that he wouldn't be given grief or called an unfit parent. He smoothed the boy's Remus-brown hair and made to close the door.

"Hold it!" Draco called to him. The Malfoy heir descended the few steps into the garage, and whistled over his shoulder. Razor was at his side in seconds, once again holding his harness in his mouth. Draco stroked the panther's head and lifted him into the car, then turned to Harry.

"Okay, now we can go. You ready for this?"

"As ready as I ever can be," Harry breathed. He got into the driver's seat, and they left for school with the windshield wipers flying at rapid pace.

******

The English classroom was packed. There were posters and display boards leaned against the walls, and each student had a box (of ranging sizes) on their desk. Besides Draco, only two students had brought pets, but the others were Hamsters, and not nearly as exciting as Razor.

The pureblood entered the classroom on his own, with his familiar trotting loyally by his side- nose no more than two inches from the boy's thigh. He carried his trunk with Harry's stacked atop it, and placed two rolled up poster boards on the floor beside his desk. Then he approached the teacher and spoke in hushed tones. Her eyes grew wide, then she smiled and nodded. Draco thanked her and took his seat. He clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth and Razor lay down under the desk at his feet.

There were twenty minutes before the first period class began, and students wandered in and out of the room at random. There was excitement in the air, as everyone was eager to tell their own story, as well as hear about others. Suddenly, the room grew silent.

Alice Cullen floated gracefully into the room, carrying a red box under one arm and a small poster in the other. Trailing behind her were her four siblings. They each handed a passcard to Mrs. Vicklind, and all 5 Cullens took advantage of the back of the classroom. As they sat, conversation in the room picked up again.

Draco checked his watch. With five minutes before the bell was to ring, Harry's head appeared peeking through the rectangular window of the door. He looked at Draco, who nodded, and then he opened the door and walked in.

If the shock in the room had been impressive with Alice's entrance, it was even more so when Harry Potter entered his classroom with a 5-month-old child in his arms.

As the perfect picture of "Daddy," the teenager held the boy in his left arm, carried a small stuffed wolf and a pacifier in his right hand, and had a well-stocked black diaper bag slung over this shoulder. Very much aware of the eyes on him, Harry moved swiftly to his seat and passed Teddy to Draco for the moment as he took back his box and poster board. Then he reclaimed his godson, sat him on his left knew, and Teddy placed one of the wolf's ears into his mouth. The class aww'ed and Harry sighed, resting his head in his palm.

***

Presenting in alphabetical order, Alice was the first to go. She introduced herself, (as if no one knew who she was) and displayed her small family tree. She announced that she was happy to have such a close-knit family; her father, Dr. Carlisle Cullen and his wife Esme, and her adopted siblings. She brought the four of them as her "most important thing," and after showing off two of her most prized outfits and a picture of her car, she explained that she loved to play games with her siblings, like baseball, and to go camping, (here her brothers had grinned mischievously) and how she and Rosalie enjoyed shopping. It was perhaps the most information that anyone had ever heard from one of the Cullens.

After several less exciting presentations, Draco was called to the front. Harry clapped his friend's shoulder, offered him a smile of support, and the wizard made his way to the presentation table. Razor remained patiently under the desk, twitching his tail when his master left.

"Hello. I know that you all don't know much about me and Harry, so I figure I'll be telling you quite a bit so that you can leave us alone."

The class chuckled, and he unrolled a fairly extensive family tree.

"Right then. My name is Draco Abraxas Malfoy. The Malfoy name is rather prestigious where Harry and I are from, and though I don't like my family members much, I am very proud of my lineage, so here's my tree.

I am an only child, the son and heir of Lucius Malfoy and his wife, my mother, Narcissa Malfoy, nee Black. My mother has two sisters, my aunts, named Andromeda and Bellatrix."

If any of the students found the names unusual, they did not show it.

"Bellatrix married a bloke named Rodolphus LeStrange, and they had no kids. Andromeda married Ted Tonks, and they had a daughter who is just called Tonks…"

His voice faded off for a bit, and Harry clutched Teddy to his chest. None of the students noticed.

"Tonks was my cousin- although I never _really _knew her. She married a great guy who was once one of Harry's and my teachers. His name was Remus Lupin. They were both killed in an accident about 5 months ago…

"Okay, so, Mother's parents, that would be my grandparents, were called Cygnus Black II and Druella Rosier Black. Grandmother was an only child, but her husband had a brother named Alphard Black and a sister, Walburga. _She_married Orion Black, and they had two sons, Sirius and Regulus Black. They're my cousins, I suppose. And Father had no siblings, but his parents… umm, are you dizzy? I think that's as far as I will go on that."

Draco skipped over the other branches of his tree and rested the poster on the chalkboard tray. The class applauded and laughed at their own confusion.

"Right, so I still need to show you my three prized possessions." He pulled his Hogwarts trunk toward him and decided to explain this first.

"So, me and Harry attended a private boarding school in Scotland until two years ago, and everyone had cases similar to this. Mine is black and silver- clearly, and it's got my initials engraved on the side. I decided to put my possessions in here because it is important to me."

He opened the lid and pulled out the first object.

"This," he began, "is a stack of letters that I have kept for the last two years."

The stack was about 6 inches think, various papers and envelopes bound together with a straining rubber band.

"The topics in them range drastically and I won't read them to you, because they're private, but I have ones from my father, mother, and other relatives. There's also a few that I wrote myself, but couldn't find the courage to send."

He paused to think for a moment.

"The letters aren't so much 'prized possessions.' They're important because of their content, but I'm not going to read them to you."

He replaced the letters in the box, took a deep breath, and pulled out the second item.

"This," he stated with conviction, "is in here because it's the biggest mistake of my entire life."

Harry gasped as Draco pulled his Death Eater mask from the trunk. His classmates obviously had no idea what the big deal, was.

"I told you before that I am not proud of my family. I will tell you why. My Father worked for a horrible organization, similar to the Mafia, I suppose. He raised me through my childhood to grow up and join the ranks by his side… um, one of those letters actually, was sent to me from him while he was in prison. It was that letter that informed me that I was set to be inducted into the organization."

The class gasped, and Mrs. Vicklind brought a hand up to cover her mouth.

"_This _is a Death Eater's mask. It is designed to hide your identity while you're torturing or terrorizing others." Draco gulped again, staring into the empty eyes of the mask.

"I participated unwillingly in two raids under the force of Father's associates and my other relatives. I was supposed to avenge my father's imprisonment. Instead, I betrayed the organization."

The class released a collective sigh of relief, and Draco looked up at Harry, who smiled at him.

"What?" Draco asked his classmates. "Did you think I was a killer? No- I was just raised by my bastard of a father. It took me sixteen years to realize it though. I used to worship him."

Harry snorted.

"Hush, Harry. Okay, last possession. This is called a Slytherin Pendant. At our old school, we were divided into houses for our dormitories, and I was a Slytherin. We were a proud, sneaky bunch, and our symbol was a serpent. The house was named after one of the school's founders, Salazar Slytherin, several hundred years ago."

He replaced the pendant back into the box, and the class applauded again.

"Finally, I know that you must be very curious about my little friend here. That is Razor. He is a Black Panther cub with a genetic growth disorder. He's about eight years old, though he seems much younger most of the time."

Razor remained anchored under the desk, his tail twitching against the tiled floor, and his ears pricked up at the sound of his name.

"Razor is the most important thing in my life. He's loyal, he's comforting, he's well- he's my everything. I can talk to him, or just hold him if I want. He's also insanely intelligent. Right now he's not got his harness on, but he will for the rest of the day so that people don't run off with him. I know that he won't leave my side though. Watch this."

He whistled sharply through his teeth. Immediately, Razor picked up his harness from the floor, darted to the front of the classroom, and waited, sitting perfectly still for Draco to attach the straps to his torso. The class aww'ed and applauded.

"So, that concludes my presentation." Draco took a bow and returned to his seat with Razor at heel.

"Thank you, Draco. That was very well done, and congratulations on overcoming the pressures in your life," the teacher told him. Then she called Mike Newton to present.

"Let me hold Mini-Moony for a bit, Potter," Draco whispered. Harry could see that the Slytherin wanted to hide his shaking and passed the child to him.

"That was really impressive Draco. Good job, I know that took a lot," he whispered back.

Draco nuzzled his nose in Teddy's hair and the child giggled. "I'm sorry about the mask, mate. I just figured…"

"No, really. I don't mind." Harry interrupted him. "I was only shocked."

Draco nodded, and they both turned their attention to Mike Newton and his luck pair of converse shoes.

The class was more alert than ever when Harry was called to the front of the class. With the talent that only parents seem to possess, the teenager rose from his seat, swiftly swapped a soggy wolf's ear with a pacifier, and handed Draco everything else while walking to the front with his godson, a poster board, and his Hogwarts trunk. His classmates were still silent, all eyes set on the duo.

"Hello," he began. There were no traces of fear or nervousness in his voice- he was used to speaking in front of others.

"My name is Harry James Potter. I am eighteen years old, and I moved here with Draco just a few weeks ago. Unlike him, I haven't grown up studying my heritage, so I don't know very much about my biological family, so I have made a family tree that includes the people in my life that I call my family- even if it's not a blood relation. So, here goes.

My mother and father, Lily and James Potter- both killed when I was 15 months old. I grew up with my mum's sister, Petunia Evans Dursley, and her husband Vernon, and my cousin, Dudley. I don't really consider them family, though. Moving on, next would be my two very best friends. I met them when I started at boarding school at age eleven. Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley. Both of them are home in England. The Weasley's basically took me in as one of their own during the Summer after 1st year, and every Summer after that as well.

They're a really special family."

Harry was glad that the security guards in the building were known by first name only. Bill would not encounter any questions.

"There's Arthur and Molly, and they have six sons; Bill, Charlie, Percy, George, Fr-Fred, and Ron. And they have one daughter, the youngest, Ginny."

No one commented on his stutter, but the females in the room sighed in pity for the girl that they did not know. Harry chuckled.

"Right, so after the Weasleys would be my 'uncles,' I suppose. My father's very best friend, and my godfather, was Sirius Black. That's Draco's uh, cousin? And then another great friend of theirs was once my teacher. He was a great man, Remus Lupin. He married Tonks, and they had a baby just a few weeks before they were killed- a boy named Teddy. He is my godson, and I was granted custody of him when his grandmother was deemed too emotionally distraught to be the caretaker of an infant."

The class aww'ed quietly. Again.

"But-" Harry said lightly, "we can talk about this little monster later!"

Teddy spluttered his laughter from behind the pacifier in his mouth, as though he knew they were talking about him.

"Okay, enough of my family tree. Possessions! I also put mine into my boarding school case. It's exactly the same as Draco's except mine says H.J.P. instead of 'Damn.'" The class laughed, and he lifted the lid. He pulled a thick leather-bound book and rested it on a desk. He had spent Monday night duplicating the original and taking out the pages that displayed Wizard attire or content. Then, he had immobilized each picture. He now owned a muggle version of the photo album that Hagrid had given to him.

"This is one of my prized possessions. An old friend of my parents' learned that I had no pictures of them, so he put this together for me. The first 37 pictures in there are of them and me before their death. After that, I began to add my own pictures from my time at school."

Harry looked at the girl who's desk he had placed the album on.

"You can look at it and pass it around, I just want you all to be very careful."

The girl nodded and began to leaf gently through the pages.

"Okay, the next thing I brought: it might seem insignificant to you, but it was my first really special Christmas present." He pulled an emerald green sweater from the trunk. It was very small, about the size for a nine-year-old, and Draco laughed softly.

"Blimey, Potter. I forgot how scrawny you were in first year!"

"Shut up, Malfoy. Mike, turn to page 52 in that album."

Mike Newton, who had been skimming curiously through the photos of Harry's past, flipped to the page and a grin split across his face.

"Don't think that you should tease Harry about his past appearance, Draco." the boy said.

"What!?" The Slytherin was stealing the album away in a flash. "Harry! Who took this picture?"

A twelve-year old Draco was dressed in "weekend clotes" (sans robes) at Hogwarts. His black tailored slacks, dress shirt, and jacket flaunted his wealth and stature. His

white-blond hair was slicked back so thoroughly that it reflected the sunlight that gleamed over the grounds. The picture was taken near the edge of the Great Lke, where the boy was obviously engaged in a heated argument with a small black haired boy, who was dressed quite normally in a schoolboy's attire.

"Holy shit, man. How many bottles of gel did you get through per day?"

Draco flushed, flipped off Mike Newton, and returned to his seat, glaring at a laughing Harry.

"All right, settle down. Harrison, please continue." Mrs. Vicklind's patient voice broke across the room, and the presentation resumed.

"Okay, so Molly Weasley always made a sweater like this for each of her children. I'd never felt more accepted in a place than the morning that I unwrapped my very own Weasley sweater."

"And, the third possession that I brought is almost the same as one of Draco's. Like he said, we were divided into houses, and I was in Gryffindor, 'where dwell the brave at heart!' Here's a pendant from the dorm room that I shared for six years. It's scarlet and gold- out house colors instead of Slytherin's green and silver, and our mascot is a Lion. The house was named after another of the founders, Godric Gryffindor, and we were best known for our rivalry with the Slytherins."

He glared and Draco mockingly, and the class laughed and applauded as he concluded that portion of his project.

"Most importantly, I have saved the best for last."

The class became attentive again, eager to hear about Harry's godson.

"I present to you, Teddy Remus Lupin. Named after his grandfather and father, born in April, he is 5 months old. He's quite advanced for his age, he laughs a lot, and plays hiding games with his favorite blanket. He loves most of all his stuffed wolf, which we call Moony. Now, you probably think that I am too young to be a father, and I might be, but Teddy is the number one priority in my life. His needs come before my own in every aspect of every day, and I miss him to death when I have to come here for school. Teddy is a bright, beautiful baby boy, and he has a lovable personality in his small person. I hope that you come and meet him throughout the day!"

The class burst into applause and Harry bowed, making the baby laugh at the dipping motion. The green-eyed teen then reclaimed his seat for the next students to take their turn. The teacher approached him.

"Thank you, Harry. I am sure that you are a wonderful Daddy to your godson. May I hold him?"

"Of course, if he will allow you to." Harry passed the child into his teacher's arms, and she cooed over him and sat back with him at her own desk.

***

When the presentations concluded, the infant was passed carefully from desk to desk, each student poking his tummy or patting his stuffed wolf. And while Teddy laughed and squealed in delight, Draco was pleased to watch students attempt to make Razor do tricks. At their whistles and commands, the panther merely flicked an ear and remained lounging over his master's ankles. When the bell rang, the Slytherin whistled twice sharply, and the cub immediately began to trot obediently toward the door by his side, leaving shocked and impressed students behind. Draco smirked and bent to clip a short lead to the panther's harness, then made his way to French.

* * *

**NOTE: **Now, I know that several of you told me you were excited for this chapter, and I was too, but I hope it didn't disappoint anyone. If it did, let me know! I am proud to say that I received my very first negative comment today, and I think I handled it very maturely. I don't take offense to any sort of comment that someone might offer, and so I hope that you review, regardless of your opinion :) P.S. if you might be a little bit interested, there will be more Edward in the next chapter!

P.S.S.-- if you ever notice any errors in my writing, please let me know and I will correct them. Thanks!

-darkestAngel13


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N:**Hello readers! I am very sorry for the delay- I'm not even going to make up an excuse. I simply didn't feel like typing this week. Here's chapter 12, I hope that you enjoy it. The chapters are getting longer in my notebook and I have a few more already written, so it's just a matter of typing, revising, and posting. More should be up soon! Please keep in mind that everything you read is written by a dreaming 15 year old, and not a successful author such as JK Rowling or Stephanie Meyer. I don't own any of this.

* * *

The news of Harry Potter's godson spread around the school like wildfire. By the time third period came around, no one was shocked to see the green-eyed student with a child in his arms. His teachers were very receptive to Teddy, cooing at him or holding him until the frightened child cried for his godfather. Students were excited to have the infant among them as well, and many made funny faces as they passed in the hall.

**

Harry was relieved to find that there were only two minutes left until 4th period was over. He had noticed that Teddy's hair was developing some subtle highlights, and while the change was too minute for anyone else to notice, he knew that he would need to give the boy another potion soon. When at last he left for lunch, he fished a bottle from his bag with a free hand, and popped the cap off between his thumb and forefinger before holding the nipple to Teddy's lips. The boy grasped the bottle clumsily and suckled loudly as Harry walked down the hall to the cafeteria.

**

"So, what do you think?" Alice asked her brother as they sat at their lunch table.

"What do I think? I think that he's a very interesting person. I think that he has a lot to handle, and he has done a great job so far. I think that he has a lot that he's still hiding," _'I think that he's amazing.' _He finished to himself.

"Well obviously he's hiding something. There isn't anyone in this school that isn't. I mean, look at us!"

"Emmett, that is not helpful." Jasper told his bear-like brother.

"Edward, they both experienced a wide range of emotion during their presentations. Excitement, mourning, nervousness, anger, fear… you know, I think that "Death Eater" gang is worse than they made it sound. Did you hear how fast Harry's heartbeat spiked? And Draco's as well. They were either shocked or terrified. Or both."

"So you think that they _are_ killers then?" Edward accused angrily.

"No! That's not what I said at all. Listen to me, Edward. I do think that they have been through a lot. Much more then they mentioned in their projects."

"Maybe," Edward sighed. "But who am I to care about what their secret is? As a matter of fact, I _don't_ care." He got up to dump his still-full tray, and Alice followed.

_'That's not true, and you know it.'_

"I know," Edward groaned at her. "But I can't do anything about it. It wouldn't be normal. I'm not- _we're_ not normal, Alice. I should just leave him alone. It's not as if he'd be interested."

"Well, now you're wrong." Alice told him quietly. "He needs you, and he will trust you- sooner than you may think. I know, I've seen it. Yes, he's a very complicated person, but then again- so are you."

Alice returned to her other siblings and Edward growled in frustration.

One of the cafeteria doors opened and Harry walked in, talking to Draco Malfoy and feeding a tired baby. As the black haired teen broke into laughter, his eyes lit up and venom spiked through Edward's veins.

"I don't need this," he told himself. He left the cafeteria and walked to the parking lot where he spent the remainder of the lunch period in his car.

********

Before Harry entered the loud cafeteria, he cast a silent _muffliato _over Teddy, who was just drifting off to sleep. The charm would filter the noise that was sure to awaken the baby.

"Oh, great plan, Potter. Tell them he's advanced for his age. A SuperBaby that now has the ability to sleep through the roar of a few hundred muggle high-schoolers."

Harry laughed as he pushed through the door. "Let them think whatever they want. We just say that he's a heavy sleeper."

A cold and moist breeze swept over the three as someone exited through doors that lead to the outside. Harry caught sight of the elusive Edward Cullen and hoped that he would be back for biology.

While ignoring an unexplainable feeling of rejection, Harry lead Draco to their 'usual' table with Mike Newton and his friends. Each of the muggles had shoved aside unappetizing lunch options in favor of looking through their possessions from first period.

"Here they are! The men of the day, c'mon! Join in!" Eric had stood with his arms spread wide to the new teens, shouting excitedly.

Draco scowled and turned to sit sideways on the bench. Razor sat in front of him at once and placed his head on the blonde's knees. While Draco kneaded his fingers through the thick fur, Harry gave in to the group of enthusiastic classmates.

"I'm assuming that you either want to look at the album or coo at Sleeping Beauty here, because there isn't much exciting about the pendant or sweater."

"Could you show us the pictures, Harry? If you don't mind, we'd like to know about some of them," Angela questioned shyly. She was still nervous about offending him, and to make it clear that he wasn't angry, Harry pulled his photo album from his bookbag.

Both Hogwarts cases had been left in the English classroom, as they were too bulky to lug around.

He opened to the first page. "This is my mum and dad when they were our age. They met at the boarding school that Draco and I went to, and this is a picture of the grounds."

It was a candid shot of the two, taken from behind. Their hands were clasped and they stood watching a sunset on the Great Lake. Harry smiled at the photo and skipped several pages.

"This was taken two years later."

A pregnant Lily stood outdoors, held tightly to James' side. He had one arm around her waist, and one hand on her rounded belly. Harry knew that when the picture moved, his father would kiss Lily's temple and spin her in a circle, both of them laughing.

"My godfather took that picture 3 weeks before I was born."

He skipped a few more pages.

"Here's one of me and my parents."

The students aww'ed at the small boy being held between his mother and father. His bright eyes shone out from beneath his tightly bundled jacket, scarf, and hat- the picture was once again taken outside. His mother held one of his small fists, waving to the camera.

"Wow," Harry said. "I must be Teddy's age here. Let's skip a few years, shall we?"

"This is me and Ron in the Gryffindor common room first year. This was over the Christmas holidays so it was pretty quiet. We took this after opening out presents."

The picture showed Ron and Harry grinning widely at the camera. On the left was Harry in his green sweater, and on the right, about 4 inches taller, was Ron in his own maroon present.

"Woah! Is that an owl?" Eric pointed to the top corner of the page, where a snowy owl was perched on a windowsill.

"Oh yeah. That's Hedwig. She was my very first pet and my first ever friend. I guess Draco and me both like exotic pets. I've got a ball python now."

"That's crazy, man."

"Maybe," Harry told him. He flipped a few more pages.

"Oh, here's the picture from before… I'll tell you some history behind it. Draco, being a Slytherin, decided that he had to hate my friends and me. He got all up in our faces one day, so I teased him about his stuffy clothes. He was pissed. I think we both ended up fighting in the water. You know, it wasn't a very good idea to argue next to the Lake."

His classmates sniggered and Harry leaned over to pat Draco's shoulder. The blond was still brooding with his panther. It wasn't _his _fault that he had been dressed that way. He was raised to dress as the aristocrat that he was.

"I forgive you for all those fights, mate. It's all in the past, right?"

Draco only grunted.

"Oh, Harry! I had a question about one of the photos in the back of the album."

"Sure, Mike. Which one?"

"The one with the hot girl…" Mike raised his eyebrows suggestively at the wizard.

"With a hot… Oh! You mean this one?"

On one of the final pages of the book was a picture of sixteen-year-old Harry. He was dressed lazily in his school uniform with his tie slung around the back of his neck and over one shoulder. His shirt was not tucked in and his shoes had landed casually by his knees. Relaxing in front of a fireplace, he appeared to be lost in though while a beautiful red-haired girl sat in his lap. She was leaning against his chest while his fingers ran through her fiery locks.

"Damn, Potter- Get on that! Who is she?"

Harry laughed uncertainly at the other boys' excitement.

"Um, that's Ginny Weasley. We dated for a while in 6th year."

"Only for a while? Man, you don't just drop a girl like her."

Jessica smacked the back of Mike's head. "Don't be such a pervert." She told him.

"Er, yeah." Harry said uneasily. "Ginny was a great girl, but truly I didn't really like her. She um, helped me figure some stuff out, and we were better off as just friends. She's like a sister."

"I don't believe it." Eric said, shaking his head. "Only a gay man could turn down that girl. Look at those---"

"You are such a boy!" Angela cut in. "I don't even want to know what you were about to say!"

Eric snickered and ducked his head. "Sorry."

Harry was glad that Eric's statement had been mostly ignored. Perhaps no one had actually realized what he said? But no, Jessica was looking pointedly at him. He ignored her. Teddy began to fuss and squirm in his sleep, so Harry gently swayed his arms from side to side. While the rest of the table finished their lunches, Harry rocked the child and waited anxiously for Biology to arrive.

*************

Edward leaned his head back, sitting in the front seat of his silver Volvo. He tried unsuccessfully to clear the burning sensation from the back of his throat before giving in to the desperate temptation to know what was happening inside the cafeteria. He relaxed as best he could and filtered through the mundane drivel of average teenagers before he came across the overenthusiastic thoughts of Mike Newton. Edward focused on that particular table of the room and gripped his steering wheel as he braced himself for the onslaught of inner voices. Wishing that he could hear the descriptions straight from Harry himself, he settled for the images he received through the minds of the other students.

First a snapshot of a young couple watching a sunset, followed by a beautiful woman with a pregnant belly and an ecstatic husband. Thoughts of pity and unspoken condolences accompanied an image of a small baby boy that would lose the parents on either side of him. Soon, curiosity grew within Mike, and a picture of Harry snuggled casually in front of a fire with a girl in his lap danced before him. Edward cringed at the inappropriate thoughts that rolled off of several of the boys in waves.

While Edward had experienced numerous emotions in his lifetime, he had never felt such raw possessiveness overcome him. Truly, he never had anything to be possessive of, other than his car and music. Edward's grip on the steering wheel caused the plastic to mold under his knuckles as raging jealousy surged through his being. He wanted to attack that red haired girl. Suddenly, the rush of venom from the glands in his mouth alerted him of reality, and he shook himself to concentrate on the thoughts of Harry's friends. Leaving the boys to their fantasies, he zoned in on Jessica Stanley. An irritating female, but she did have an intelligent mind. Her confusion that she expressed inwardly upon learning that Harry had dated this redhead built questions within Edward, and he felt hopelessness and disappointment pool in the pit of his stomach.

Just as the eavesdropper was leaving the thoughts of the students, Jessica began to chant desperately, a silent mantra of _"I didn't tell anyone, I swear! You have to stay my friend!"_

She was trying to communicate this promise to someone at the table, and Edward reached out to touch the minds of the others. The thought was already fleeing the minds of them, but Edward read it clearly. Eric had insinuated that Harry might be gay.

In one last attempt, Edward stabbed sharply at the only mind that had ever remained closed to him, desperate for confirmation. It was futile, as he bounced back forcefully and pulled entirely out of the cafeteria. The bronze haired boy looked at the bent steering wheel that he held. He ran a hand shakily through his hair, looked at his watch, and exited the car.

********

Teddy had woken up after his short nap and Harry removed the noise filtering charm. When he entered Mr. B's classroom, he was excited to see that Edward Cullen was sitting at their shared table. Upon noticing his gaze, Draco pinched Harry's arm. "Remember what I said, Harry." He tugged gently on Razor's leash and took his seat.

Harry didn't nod or acknowledge the warning. After all, if he was going to disobey Draco, (and he was) then he wasn't going to feel guilty for actually promising to stay away.

He crossed the room and sat down next to the boy that he had been thinking of all week.

"Hello Teddy and Harry," he greeted them.

"Hello."

"I enjoyed your presentation this morning. It was quite ah, enlightening. I am sorry about the death of your parents."

"Thank you," Harry said. "I liked Alice's presentation as well. You go camping?"

"I suppose you could call it that," Edward said. "My family loves the outdoors- the woods, mainly. And we hold a certain… fondness for the wildlife." He smiled.

"That's cool," Harry said.

When class began, they were told to complete a page of study questions from the textbook with their partner. As conversation unrelated to science swept the room, Harry placed his godson sitting up on the table, facing him. He wrapped one hand around the back of the small child and handed him Moony. As per usual, one soggy and worn ear was taken to the boy's gums.

While the Gryffindor opened his textbook, he noticed Edward was resting his head in one hand propped up by his elbow, and was looking at Teddy. His black eyes were narrowed and his nose was wrinkled seemingly in distaste.

"I'm sorry," Harry apologized. "Does he stink? Jeez, I don't even notice anymore."

Harry moved to pull the baby away, but Edward stopped him.

"No, no. I'm just playing with him, I think."

Surprised, the godfather looked at the child, who's own nose was crinkled, mimicking the teen.

"Now that's just adorable," Harry commented as he broke into laughter.

Edward looked at the wizard and smiled. "Yeah, it is."

*********

The youngest Cullen brother slid into the driver's seat of his Volvo. His siblings piled in after him, and when Jasper sat in the passenger seat, he raised an eyebrow at the disfigured steering wheel. His brother shrugged, embarrassment radiating from him. The driver then turned to face to backseat where Alice was squished between a hulking Emmett and a scowling Rosalie.

"You will never guess what I learned today."

"Calculus? _Again?" _Rosalie sneered.

Alice pouted at her sister. "Oh be nice for once, Rosalie. I'm excited for him! Tell us, Edward."

"Well, least importantly is that he wasn't always friends with that Draco kid… just an interesting fact there. Most _excitingly, _he uh, swings my way?"

Rosalie groaned in annoyance, looking out her window at the parking lot.

"You mean he bats righty? He can play baseball? Sweet!"

"Emmett, shut up please. Edward means that they are both homosexual."

"Oh."

"_Anyway," _Edward interjected, "The most important thing was that little boy. Have any of you gotten close to him? Like really close to him?"

The siblings thought.

"No," Jasper said. "The closest any of us has been is about 3 feet, across a table."

"Well," Edward told them, "I've been about 6 inches from him."

"So?"

"He smelled. Bad. Like the pack up at La Push. But, it was very faint. Like I said, you have to be really close. And I think he smelled me too. I told Harry we were playing a copycat game."

"You think he might be a werewolf? He's such a little boy. Only a baby… I don't think that the Quileutes work like that." Jasper said.

"Hmm, I think I ought to ask Carlisle about our new friends." Edward shifted the car into drive and they sped out to the main road.

"_Your _new friends," Rosalie huffed.

Alice giggled. "That's what you say now," she told her sister.

***

Meanwhile, across the lot Harry, Draco, Razor, and Teddy drove away in their car and Mike turned to Eric.

**"**_Only a gay man?_**"**

"Huh? Oh that. I wasn't really serious at the time, but did you see his face?"

"Yeah, I did. And what was up with… Jess! C'mere!"

Jessica and Angela approached he boys. "What?"

"Is that Potter kid gay?" Mike asked her flatly

Jessica smirked. "You said it yourself, Eric. Only a gay man could leave a girl _that_ pretty."

"Ha! I knew it!" Mike exclaimed. "D'you think that Draco knows?"

"New kid knows what?" Tyler Crowley joined their group.

"That Harry's practically a fairy. And of course Draco knows. That's how I found out." Jessica told them all.

"Jess!" Angela shrieked.

"What?"

"You shouldn't say things like that. Harry probably expected you to keep his secret, not to pull him out of the closet in front of the school."

Mike interrupted her. "Oh drop it Angela. It's not a huge deal, and Potter will get over it. Besides, the school would have known soon anyway. That sort of news doesn't stay quiet for long. My ride is here. We'll talk more tomorrow."

Mike stepped off the sidewalk and the group of friends dissipated.

************

When the Cullen siblings arrived at their home, Edward left the group and went to his room. On his way he pulled a cell phone from his pocket. Dialing a number, it rang twice before a smooth voice spoke on the other side.

"Dr. Cullen speaking."

"Carlisle! It's Edward. Listen, can I talk to you later? Alone?"

"Of course, Edward. I get off at seven. We will go hunting together alright? I noticed that you haven't been in a while. I'm sorry, son- I've got to go, there's a woman going into labor here."

"Thanks Carlisle. See you later."

The teen snapped his phone shut and threw it onto a shelf. He swiped a hand across his face._ "What to do now?"_

He made his way back down stairs to the living room, where he pulled a protesting Emmett away from his x-box.

"C'mon Emmett. Come wrestle with me for a while. I need to blow off some steam."

Emmett brightened and was out the back door in a flash. "You're on!" he called over his shoulder.

* * *

**Note: **Hope that you enjoyed it! Please review with comments, criticism and questions. I will happily respond to anything that fills my inbox :) Have I ever said how thankful I am for all the responses I receive? Every alert, favorite, review, and email makes me a happier writer. Thanks for everything! The next few chapters are already written, they just have to be set up on the computer. Hope I have it done soon!

P.S. Did anyone notice that nearly all the pictures were taken outside? Just an interesting thing I decided to put in there. Since he filtered all photos that contained something magic, I figured that would include and Hogwarts and most wizarding homes. Even the common room pic of Ron and Harry revealed Hedwig- a very rare sort of pet. So, it's not really anything important at all, I just mentioned the outside-ness. :)

May the road rise up to meet you, and the wind be at your back!

-- darkestAngel13


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N:**Hi Everyone! Here's chapter 13, fresh from my notebook. None of it is making me money, therefore I am not JKRowling, or Stephanie Meyer. I simply enjoy writing about their characters in this fantasy world of Harry/Edward relationships. **Question- does anyone think that the rating should be made from T to M if the coming chapters will include some language/innuendo? Let me know.** Please read the note at the end of the chapter. Enjoy!

* * *

When Harry and Draco returned home, they walked into the living room to find Dedalus talking to Kingsley Shaklebolt, who's head was floating in the floo.

"Kingsley! You shouldn't do that! What if we had brought home a muggle? You'd have scared them to death," Harry exclaimed.

The minister smiled at him and stepped through. As he crossed the hearth, his royal purple robes swept the floor, leaving trails of ash across the carpet.

"No worries, Harry. The wards here would have alerted us to anyone crossing the property that doesn't live here. Dedalus could have simply cancelled the floo connection." The low baritone voice washed over Harry, calming his shocked emotion. "Alright, as long as you're sure…"

Draco stepped forward. He nodded politely to Shaklebolt _("Minister,")_ and left the room, taking refuge upstairs with his familiar.

Harry sighed. "Ignore him, he's had a rough day."

"Speaking of rough," Dedalus spoke, "Kingsley has been informed of the breach in Draco's occlumency barriers. He has told the guard that they are to reveal themselves if they even suspect danger."

Harry nodded. "Okay. And about the house, is it under a Fidelius charm?"

"Yes, and no." Kingsley answered. "Only you have the ability to reveal the address of the house, although others do know where you live. They simply cannot enter unless given permission. And, the wards will alert everyone in the house to anyone that is not a wizard."

"Okay, thanks."

"You're welcome. Now, I must go. It was good to see you, Harry, Dedalus, Teddy." He inclined his head, kissed the baby's forehead, and disappeared under the cover of emerald green flames calling 'Minister Shaklebolt's Office-London!'

*******

When the sun finally dipped beneath the horizon, cloaking the woods in darkness, two pairs of dark eyes glowed brightly. Carlisleand Edward both took off into the thick trees, senses running rampant- alert to any sound, scent, or movement. After their first kill, Carlisle pulled his son to a clearing. He sensed the boy's discomfort and uncertainty.

"Edward, what do you need to speak with me about?"

"It…It's difficult, Carlisle." the younger stated heavily, sitting down on a fallen tree.

"I'm sure I can handle it, son." Carlisle knelt on one knee beside Edward, offering support.

"Do you remember, when you brought home Rosalie, and told me that she would be mine? And I grew angry at you- for assuming that I would love a woman. And you were so understanding, Carlisle. You were so patient with me. Have I ever told you how much I appreciate what you've done for me? I know I complain often, Carlisle. But I am so grateful."

"You have told me many times, Edward. What has brought all this about, hm?"

Edward pulled desperately at his bronze hair, making a sound between a growl, groan and sigh.

"I don't know. My emotions have been completely chaotic since Monday. Jasper must be furious with me."

"Your brothers will never be furious with you, my son. Now, I would like you to tell me about whatever it is that has you so out of sorts."

"Okay, okay. It goes like this.

I met a boy, well, not a boy- a young man. He's 18, he's an orphan, living with a friend, his infant godson, and some other people as well. They just moved from England, and Carlisle- _I can't hear him!_ Not a single thought from him or Draco- that's his friend's name. And he smells so good! As if I were a newborn again, I can hardly remain in control around him. But I couldn't _dream_ of hurting him…"

Carlisle chuckled, and Edward groaned.

"You're laughing. I knew I shouldn't have said anything."

"I'm sorry, my son. I am not laughing at you, I am simply happy that your 'problem' is anything but. Edward, you may have found your mate. _La tua cantante._ His blood sings to you, yes? Tell me, what is the name of the fellow that has won your affections?"

If Edward could have, he'd have blushed. Ducking his head away from his father's amused face, he responded.

"Harrison. Well, Harry actually. Harry Potter. He's about 5.7', black scruffy hair, and the most amazing green eyes. He's got some interesting scars; he tries to hide them, but I've seen. The one beneath his bangs- almost like a lightning bolt. The one across his back, he didn't want anyone to notice- and I _swear_ I wasn't _watching_ him change. I just…saw."

Carlisle stifled another chuckle at his frazzled son.

"And there's one on the back of his hand too. Actually, it looks like writing, but I haven't been close enough to see it, and haven't asked. Maybe it's actually a tattoo? I don't know, it looked like a scar--" Edward's rant was cut off as a large deer bounded through the thick brush a few feet from them. The animal loped gracefully over a log, jumped a small creek, and raced away through the opposite side of the clearing. Carlisle's throat caught and he stood abruptly.

"Come, Edward. Talk to me as we run."

And the men gave chase.

The love-struck teen continued to babble softly as they stalked a buck.

"Like I said, he's the guardian of his godson, Teddy. He takes really good care of him. Actually, when I saw him for the very first time, he was caring for a crying child. He's a very caring person. But I really decided to talk to you because of the baby. He's small, only 5 months, but he smells awful!"

"Edward, I realize that we haven't spent much time around normal children, but surely you underst-

"Carlisle! Do you think so little of me? Of course I know how an infant smells. What I mean, is that this child should not smell like a Quileute wolf at his age!"

"Quileutes? Are you certain?"

"No, that's what I asked you. The dogs up at La Push don't phase until puberty, and you can sniff them out from yards away. Teddy's blood smells of a pack, but only from a very close distance."

Carlisle considered this information for a moment before answering his son. The duo were walking casually through the trees far north of the forest after swiftly taking down the buck and an unfortunately slow moose.

"These boys are from England, you said?"

"Yes."

"It is most likely that Teddy is a member of an Old Blood pack. These wolves go back for centuries in Europe. Rather than phasing at will, they are subject to painful transformations with the rising of the full moon. They are despicable creatures when not in human form, incapable of thought or reason other than to hunt and cause damage. Old Blood wolves consider their transformations to be a disease called Lycanthropy. It is transmitted through a bite at the full moon."

"So, you think that Harry's godson is a bloodthirsty animal once a month? Carlisle, even if he were, wouldn't he be only a cub? How would he survive?"

"Now that is an important question, my son. I don't believe that the child would have even survived the bite of a wolf. The venom would spread too rapidly within a small body, killing it. No, it is more likely that Teddy inherited the scent from a parent. If his father were a wolf, his offspring would inherit many of the characteristics from the Lycangene; enhanced sense of smell, perhaps a taste for a pinker steak… If his mother were the wolf, he'd more likely inherit the disease in its entirety after being carried in the womb of both phases. Either way, as you said, he is but a child. He is no more a danger to us than this."

He gently pulled a young rabbit from it's burrow at the base of a dying tree. The animal struggled vigorously against the cold fingers and Carlisle released it, shocking his son.

"Come, Edward. We have hunted enough. If you are finished talking, we can go home."

*********

Thursday was passing with ease for Harry and Draco. Their classes had gone off without a hitch until they entered the locker-room for gym. The cement floored aisles were empty, each locker closed and fastened shut when the wizards walked in. It became apparent that, rather than change in the open as before, every one of the boys had elected to change in the curtained stalls at the back of the room. Harry saw red upon finding a note taped to his locker.

"GO HOME, FAGGOT!"

Growling, he tore the message off the locker and crumpled it, yelping more from surprise than pain when it turned to ash in his fist. Draco attempted to lay a hand on his friend's shoulder, but it was shrugged off. They both changed in record time, and approached the gymnasium, where the class of boys waited. All but one of the students stood looking both defiant and wary, preparing for Harry's reaction. Only Edward Cullen appeared genuinely confused as rage visibly bubbled beneath Harry's stoic mask.

"What the _fuck_ is your issue?"

The Boy Who Lived spoke with false calm in his voice, and when he took several steps forward, Draco grabbed his forearms and held them behind his back. The students took steps backward, but Edward moved closer to the enraged teen.

"I thought you guys wanted to be my friends?" the Gryffindor spoke to Eric, Mike, and Tyler. "I showed you some of my most private possessions. The only pictures of my family! Do you understand how much trust that takes after only knowing someone for 48 hours? _Do you know?_ How difficult it is for me to trust people?" Draco tightened his hold on Harry's arms, then suddenly jerked away, looking at his hands as though they were burned. He raised an eyebrow at the teen.

"You know what, Harry? We trusted you too." Mike spoke bravely for the students. "But you could have told us if you were going to be stalking us. Do _you _understand? You should have told us that you were fucking gay. Then we wouldn't have gotten your hopes for friendship up."

"_My _hopes? I didn't _ask_ for your friendship, Newton."

Mike ignored that statement. "You told _Jessica._ How random is that?"

Harry lost whatever control he had.

"Why the hell do you think that I should have told you? And do you think that treating me this way is a good way to tell me that _'I should have told you'_? And I did not **tell** Jessica anything. I only told Draco for the first time on Monday, and that little chit clearly couldn't keep her nose out! Then, apparently she couldn't keep her trap shut either."

The wizard suddenly surged forward, fist raised for a right hook to Mike's face- but a strong arm wrapped around his chest from his right. Seething, he looked up and met Edward's topaz eyes looking down at him with concern. At that moment Coach walked in, whistle in his mouth, clipboard in hand.

"Cullen! Potter! Do we have a problem?" He barked around his whistle, which was firmly held between his teeth. Harry began to deflate under Edward's gaze, and the older teen answered the teacher.

"No, sir. Only that Potter's not feeling well. I was just about to take him to the nurse. He doesn't know the way, you see."

Coach nodded at his favorite student. "Take care of him, Cullen. Potter- you make sure you're healthy. Have a protein shake, boy."

As Edward tugged a reluctant Harry out of the gym, Draco made to follow, but was held back by a pull to his uniform shirt.

"Not so fast, RichBoy. It only takes one student to escort another to the nurse. You get to stay with me."

The purebloodgrowled, twisting violently out of the hold. He walked back to the group of students, glaring sharply at the lot of them. He was beyond furious at the thought of his friend alone with Edward Cullen, and he was utterly horrified at the prospect of muggle gym class without the black haired boy.

***

"Why did you grab me?" Harry asked quietly.

He and Edward were half sitting, half leaning on a wide ledge of a window in the hallway. The sky outside was overcast, though no rain was falling. The sun's rays shining through the window were nonexistent.

"I didn't think you should hit Mike."

"Thanks, but that much was obvious."

"I didn't want you to get hurt."

"I can fight without harming myself," Harry said heatedly. He saw a security jacket at the end of the hall, and noticing the flaming hair, waved Bill off with a small hand gesture. He would handle this on his own. The elder wizard nodded and walked away.

"I'm sure that you can," Edward replied calmly, "But even so, there were many other guys behind Mike."

"I can take care of myself. I've done it my whole life. Why do you care anyway?"

Edward was quiet for a minute.

"_Why do you care_?" Harry repeated. "What do you want from Draco and me? Information?"

"Information? Harry, what're you…? Look, I just wanted to _talk_ to you." he swallowed thickly. "Maybe be friends."

Harry sighed, leaning against the sill again.

"I'm sorry, Edward. It is a very difficult thing to be my friend. I've got the most chaotic mood swings, I've got to protect Teddy and make sure that Draco stays out of trouble, I have the worst trust issues, and as you have just seen, secrets that I do not want others to see. I've got layers, Edward. And I think you have only seen a mask. I don't think it would be a good idea to be friends."

"Well good. Honestly, _I_ don't think we should be friends either. But I want to be."

Harry raised his eyes to Edward, who was watching him calculatingly.

"I am a very unique sort of person, Harry. I'm quite good at understanding the thoughts of others. But you are quite different from the majority. I cannot read you. Would you explain to me what you are thinking?"

_The mind is a complex thing; not a book to be read._ The statement echoed through Harry's memory. He frowned.

"I'm thinking that there's more unique about you than simply understanding others," Harry said curiously. Edward's breath hitched, but the other was still talking and didn't notice.

"I can't put my finger on it, but I am curious." The raven chuckled. "Being the Gryffindor that I am, Edward Cullen, I believe that I will give this friendship a chance. If only to get to know you better."

Edward flashed a small smile at him, and Harry's heart raced. The smile changed to a grin and Edward casually clapped his hand to Harry's shoulders, but the boy ducked away at the contact.

"Wait. Why don't I disgust you? Aren't you afraid to touch me, change in my presence?" Edward laughed softly, and pulled the boy's shoulders back to his side.

"If I was, Harry, I would be a hypocrite."

Quick as a whip, the taller teen bent his head, laid a kiss to the center of the scruffy black hair, and took off down the hall.

Harry held onto the wall for support. Shock shone plainly on his face, and he felt his magic roar and pulse within him.

The bell rang, signaling that 8th period had come to a close, and students filed into the hallway, eager to leave the building. Harry jolted out of himself when a strong hang grabbed him from behind. He spun around to face Draco.

"Are you okay, Potter? He didn't do anything to you, did he?"

"N-no," Harry told him. "Nothing that I wasn't happy with. How was gym?"

Draco huffed dramatically. "Simply awful, Harry. Never leave me there alone again. Honestly, these muggles have no sense of athleticism."

The boys walked to the parking lot, pointedly ignoring the topic of what had occurred with Mike Newton. Just before Harry pulled his helmet over his eyes, he caught sight of the Cullen siblings on the opposite side of the lot. There was Rosalie, brooding as usual near her shiny red corvette, while Emmett coaxed her into conversation. A few feet away, Alice was bouncing on her heels. She reached up, hugged her bigger brother and stretched to ruffle his bronze hair. Edward was grinning broadly, and Jasper clapped him on the back.

Harry secured his helmet, smiled to himself, and took off on his bike with Draco by his side.

* * *

**NOTE! **So, did you like it? I hope so. In case anyone thought that the Carlisle and Edward conversation was weird, I just wanted to make it clear that I was trying to express some "conversation from a different time." Clearly, I don't know how people sounded in the early 1900's, but I have a feeling that it would be a bit more formal. Also, they have been around a long time. Their discussions should sound more sophisticated by now :)Please note that none of what is written is meant to be offensive- I'm not a hater in any shape or form.

Here's a desperate plea for some prayers, (or simply thoughts if you are not religious), because my mother just found out that her cancer has returned. We will have a lot to deal withsoon, with operations and chemo treatments and extensive bills to pay. To know that I have some cyber-support for my family will be much appreciated. Thanks.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N:**I don't own Harry Potter or any affiliated characters/terms/locations. That belongs to JK Rowling. In the same way, all Twilight references and characters belong to Stephanie Meyer. **PLEASE READ THE MESSAGE AT THE END OF THIS PAGE FOR AN IMPORTANT NOTE!!!**

* * *

On Friday morning, Harry woke to the sun's rays peeking through the curtains of his window. He sat up and stretched before fetching Teddy who was whimpering quietly in the next room.

Happy to see the sunlight, and excited at the chance to talk with Edward again, Harry rushed through his morning routine. But when he and Draco finally arrived at the school, Harry's heart plummeted.

The day was beautiful, but Edward and his siblings were nowhere in sight. It might as well have been pouring.

Harry trudged through his day almost silently, only responding to teachers and Draco. Several students threw looks of disgust at him, others purposefully avoiding his path in the hall. A simpering Jessica had approached him, the picture of innocence, and Harry spat on her designer shoes. What happened to the girl that would support his secret?

_"A fraud,"_ he thought. Only Angela remained by him, genuinely supporting him and offering silent comfort at their lunch table. The Boy Who Lived was relieved when the day was over at last.

*****

At home, Teddy was placed in a playpen in Draco's room for the blond teen to babysit while Harry sulked in his own bedroom. He spoke casually with Ana, who was distressed by his emotions. But as she tangled gracefully around his torso and arms, he felt the tension leave him, and he fell asleep- engaging in dreams.

_"You can't be serious," a red haired teen spoke._

_"I am. And I'm sorry, but--"_

_"You told _Malfoy_ before you told me? Me, your best friend?"_

_"You don't understand. I wasn't even sure for a long time…"_

_"Who else?"_

_"Who else what?"_

_"Who else knows that my best friend swings the wrong way!"  
_

_"It's not the _wrong _way, you prat. It's just a dif--"_

_"Don't give me that shit, Harry! Who else knows?"_

_"Ginny suspected. Years ago. She's the one who helped me with it."_

_"Your girlfriend made you realize you were gay? That makes no sense."_

_"Yes it does, mate! You just aren't thinking. I love Ginny. But like a sister…"_

_The other boy made a hacking noise in the back of his throat._

_"C'mon mate. I thought you would support me. You're my best friend."_

_"_Now _I'm your best friend? Didn't you give that position to Malfoy? You're living with him, aren't you? What, is he your lover too?"_

_The red haired teen turned away. "Harry, you couldn't trust me enough to tell me. What kind of friend does that?"_

_"What kind of friend turns on their best mate?!"_

_"Maybe I would have supported you if you had told me sooner…" And Ron Weasley walked away._

_"Ron, don't be like that..."_

_"Ron, C'mon. RON!"_

_"Harry… Harry,_ **HARRY!!_"_**

Harry jolted forward, ice water soaking the front of his shirt.

Draco stood over him holding Teddy in his left arm and his wand in his right.

"You okay, Potter?"

Harry breathed heavily. "Yeah, 'm alright."

"Good. I need you to take Teddy back."

Harry dried his clothes with a wave of his wand and gingerly took the child. "Why?"

"Umm, I'm going out apparently." The pureblood blushed.

"What're you on about?"

"This letter came in the post today. Apparently the mailbox isn't covered by the fidelius."

Harry unfolded the message.

_Hey Dragon,_

_Meet me at the diner down in Forks Village. We can have dinner, hang out, maybe take a walk._

_See you at seven,_

_Jake Black._

Harry raised his eyebrows. "He doesn't leave much room for discussion, does he? What's with _'Dragon'_? "

"It's a nickname, Potter." Draco swiped the letter back and tucked it into his pocket. "It's 6:30 now. I'm going."

Harry nodded. "So…"

"So what?"

"Didn't you tell me eight months ago that you were straight?"

"Straight as an arrow."

Harry snorted. "Straight as a _spring._ I don't know any other male that spends more than a half hour on his hair every morning."

"Alright, alright. Listen to me, Potter." He sat down on the bed.

"I have never looked twice at a bloke in my entire life. But there's something different about this Jacob. I feel like, I don't even have a choice… and, Razor likes him too." He tucked his wand into it's wrist holster and it disappeared from view.

"So, you like him?"

"C'mon, Scarhead. I've known him for like, 5 minutes. It's _attraction._ Let's not get carried away. Now, I have to go."

Draco got up and raced away. Harry heard the front door open and close as he left the house.

*****

Draco Malfoy, half walking and half jogging, came to a stop in front of the diner at 6:54. Looking around him, he swiftly cast a refreshing charm over his slightly sweaty hair and then slid his wand carefully back to his wrist. He pushed open the door and the pleasant smell of food cooking assaulted his senses. He scanned the room until his eyes caught the large shape of Jacob seated at a booth in the corner of the restaurant. Draco took a deep breath before wondering why he was nervous, and made his way over. Jacob was looking around himself shiftily as though he felt out of place. He checked his watch twice in the time that it took for the pureblood to walk the 20 feet to him, and looked up a second before he reached the table.

"Hello," Draco said quietly. He slid into the booth, watching as Jacob's eyes lit like a child's on Christmas.

"You came," he said with relief.

Draco laughed. "It's not like you gave me much choice."

Jacob ducked his head.

"It's okay," the pureblood told him. "I would have come to see you anyway."

Jake seemed immensely pleased at this. "So, I figured we could have our dinner, talk a bit. Is that okay?"

"Of course," Malfoy responded. "Let's see what we should order."

Twenty minutes later, Draco learned a lot about his large friend. He lived with his father, Billy, who was the chief of their Quileute reservation. His father was paralyzed from the waist down, and his mother had died when he was nine. He had many friends at the reservation, and didn't come to Forks very often. Also, he loved to eat. A lot. After politely allowing Draco to order first, (a grilled chicken caesar wrap with a side of sweet potato fries) Jacob proceeded to order two deluxe cheeseburgers, one triple-deck turkey club sandwich, a plate of fries, and a rib eye steak. He requested his meat medium rare, and left Draco in shock.

"Where do you put all that?"

"Oh, they'll bring it to us on platters." Jacob responded distractedly.

"No, I mean, how do you eat all that without being like, huge?"

Jacob raised an eyebrow.

"Have you _seen_ me?"

Draco blushed. "Yes. But it looks like you're all, erm, muscle."

The large boy laughed. "Ah, yeah. It is. I suppose I just have a fast metabolism. So tell me, what should I know about Draco Malfoy?"

Draco carefully told Jacob about himself, omitting anything magic or criminal.

After not too long, a waiter approached holding all of their food on a large tray, and placed the platters in front of the boys. Jacob dug in with gusto, and five choleric bombs later, they were leaving the diner.

"So, what should we do now?" Draco asked. He was truly having a great time with Jacob, and had enjoyed his jokes and quips while they ate. He wasn't eager to leave him just yet.

"Ah, I was wondering if you would like to go up to La Push beach actually," Jacob offered, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.

It was a clear night, the continuation of a day that had been rain-free. "Yeah. Let's go."

"Seriously?"

"Sure."

Jacob happily led him to a Voltswagon Rabbit that was parked in the lot.

"This is my car, and my pride. Completely rebuilt her, all on my own, from scratch."

"No way." Draco was astonished that the muggle had accomplished something so impressive.

"I swear!"

The boys got into the car and Jacob continued to talk until they reached an outcrop of rock that overlooked the waves below. They got out of the car, listening to the swell of the ocean as waves crashed, sucking and slapping at the shore.

"Normally, my friends and I go cliff-jumping here. The water's a bit cold this time of year though. Maybe I can take you another time?" Jacob asked hopefully.

Draco stood silently at the rock's edge, considering this new friend. He had realized and accepted it during their car ride. He _liked_ Jacob.

"That sounds like it would be a lot of fun."

Though he tried to hide it, Draco was perfectly aware of the teen behind him who spun around on the gravel and punched the air with a fist in triumph.

Together, they made their way down the cliff's steep slope to walk along the sand.

After skipping rocks through tide pools and discussing topics from cars, to food, to sports, to food, to music, Draco checked his watch and noticed that it was later than he thought.

"…And if you grill it for _too_ long, then you lose most of the natural flavor of the steak. That's why it tastes better more rare. I don't see how you--

"Hey Jake?"

The large boy looked up from the sand castle that the two were attempting to build. He cursed as a wall caved in for the third time. "Yeah?"

"It's 12:27. I really have to head home."

"Now?"

"Unfortunately."

"Okay, sure. I'll drive you home. What's the address again?"

Draco wondered how the boy had found his way to his home to begin with, but answered anyway.

"It's at--" his voice cut off. "Er, I forgot exactly. Still getting used to it. I'll call Harry."

He pulled a cell phone from his pocket, glad that Harry had introduced this technology to him, and dialed. A sleepy voice picked up on the other end.

"Draco, why the hell are you still out?"

"Sorry mate. I was just having a great time and lost track of things." Jacob smiled widely at him. "Anyway, I'm temporarily suffering from ah, memory loss here. Could you tell Jake the house address, thanks!" He held the phone to the tanned ear before Harry would have time to protest giving out secure information.

"Alright. Thanks. I'll bring Draco home in a few minutes. Bye." Jake clicked the phone shut and handed it back to the wizard, who smiled.

Making their way back up the rocks, Draco stumbled on the unfamiliar path. Jacob reached quickly and grabbed his hand to steady him. Neither mentioned that they didn't let go. The boys separated when they approached the car, but sitting in the passenger seat, Draco missed the warmth. He reached bravely for the hand that was lying motionless next to the emergency break between them, and praised himself inwardly when the russet skinned boy squeezed lightly. He loved the feel of his hand fitting perfectly within the other. Jacob was unbelievably warm.

When the Rabbit pulled to a stop in the street in front of the secluded house, both teens got out. Hesitantly, Draco took small steps toward him as Jake leaned against the hood of his car.

"This was really cool," Jacob said. "And you still want to come cliff diving when it gets warmer?"

"Yeah, it was great," Draco told him. "But maybe we should meet again before then. It's September now, we'd have to wait for Spring, right?"

"Right." the other responded. "Definitely get together before then."

Draco seemed to say something else, but then closed his mouth and nodded. He turned toward the house, but Jacob called him back.

"Draco?"

As the blond wizard spun around, a warm hand cam up to softly cradle his cheek and Jacob's lips caught his in a gentle kiss. It couldn't have lasted more than two seconds, but when Jake pulled back, Draco's head was spinning. The larger teen's eyes were closed, relishing in the feeling of the soft kiss.

"I've really got to go," Draco stuttered. He turned and ran to the front door, not looking back once. _"What the hell is happening to me?"_ he thought.

*****

When Harry asked Draco the next day about his night out, the only response he received was "It was really great."

They wasted their day lazily. Neither of the wizards knew what to do with the time. They played with Teddy, watched two movies, and suffered through Draco's attempt at cooking dinner before Harry finally had an idea. "Hey Draco, want to go flying?"

Draco's head appeared over the edge of the couch where he was lounging. "Did you ward the yard yet?"

"Yeah. It's got a notice-me-not charm. If anyone should walk by, they won't care enough to look."

"Excellent! I'll go grab our brooms."

Draco met Harry outside five minutes later carrying his trusty Nimbus 2001 and Harry's Firebolt. They spent a few minutes polishing and grooming the brooms, as they hadn't been used in a while. After clipping stray twigs and bringing the handles to a shine, the wizards were in the air, diving, chasing and racing. The snitch that Harry kept hidden in a closet with other magical items was summoned to the backyard for the boys to practice seeking. Finally, two hours later, Harry and Draco had taken a break; sitting on the roof of the house, facing the backyard and woods.

"So, are you ever going to tell me about how it went with Jake?"

Draco let out a heavy breath in a whoosh. "Do you swear not to tell anyone?"

"Malfoy. Who am I going to tell?"

"It doesn't matter. Just… Harry-- have you ever actually kissed a bloke before?"

Harry was taken aback. He did not expect this sort of conversation from the Malfoy heir.

"Umm once, but not _seriously_, if that's what you're asking. I was about nine years old at the time, and my cousin was picking on someone else for a change. He was the new kid, scrawny and with thicker glasses than even my old pair. I stood up for him, and Dudley called him my boyfriend. Made me kiss him again and again in front of the other kids for the entire recess period, else he'd hit us both. It's a traumatic experience when you're little like that."

"Thanks for the story, Potter, but that's not really what I was hoping for." The boys were silent for a moment.

"Draco, did you kiss Jacob Black?"

"No…"

Harry raised an eyebrow.

"Alright! He kissed me, okay?"

Harry smirked. "So how was it?"

"It was bloody brilliant, okay? I liked it. It was incredible, and too short, and then I ruined it all and blew him off--" Harry choked. "Excuse me?"

"Merlin, Harry! Get your mind out of the gutter! _I ran away_."

"You ran? _You? _Draco Malfoy?"

"Shut up."

"What happened to 'I don't like him'?"

"I changed my mind."

"So…?" Harry prompted, with a grin on his face.

"Fine! I admit it, happy? I, Draco Malfoy, have fallen for a muggle; a_ male, _Jacob Black. Are you satisfied?"

"Very."

"Good, now wipe that smirk off before I hex it off."

"Yes sir." Harry got up, grabbed his broomstick and lowered himself to the ground below. "It's nine o'clock, Draco. I'm going to get Teddy from Dedalus and put him to bed. See you tomorrow."

The Malfoy heir waved off the statement and leaned back against the cool shingles of the roof. He started at the sky, stars invisible due to cloud cover. The silence around him was interrupted by the sounds in the woods. He focused on them rather than the persistent thoughts of Jacob that raced through his mind. Twigs snapping. That was a larger animal in the distance. Leaves shifted as the breeze ruffled his blond locks. A dog, or maybe a wolf, howled from the North. Several more responded, the call slicing through the air and echoing for miles. Draco sighed. He mounted his Nimbus and hovered until he touched down against the damp grass. Razor's wet nose was pressed firmly against the house's sliding glass door, watching his master as any pet would. Draco pushed past him, rubbing the fur of his head. He clicked his tongue as he headed to his bedroom and his familiar trotted casually behind him. Draco laid on his bed, watching the ceiling and running his fingers through Razor's fur. When he finally fell asleep, he dreamed of Jacob Black.

* * *

**NOTE! **

**Hello! I felt that it was necessary to make sure that I included a really really special Thank-you to everyone who sent me messages of support to my mom and family. I am truly grateful for the sweet thoughts and stories that you shared, and I am sure that they are helping. My mom went for a CAT scan last tuesday, and we have not received the results yet. The doctor said that we would be informed within hours if anything major was visible, therefore these cancerous cells must not be spread too far yet. We continue to hope that it has been detected early enough that only short rounds of chemotherapy will wipe it out. Thank you SO much for all the kind words. You are all amazing. As I told one of you; the media has been full of stories of the hate and tragedy in our society. And yet- the world can not be so bad as all that, when kind strangers are offering support to another in distress over the Internet. Thanks again from the bottom of my heart!**

As for the story itself, I hope you liked this chapter! I should make it clear that the conversation with Ron never actually happened. The Weasleys (sans Ginny) and Hermione are still unaware of Harry's sexual orientation, and the dream shows that harry fears the rejection. I don't know yet if any of them will be in the story. Maybe much later. Any questions? Comments? Please leave me a review!


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N**Hello readers! I am really sorry for this delay. My life has been hectic, and between finals arriving and lots of chaos with my mom's situation, I haven't had the time nor the drive to type. I have several more chapters already written in my notebook, (up to 19 right now, I think) and continue to add more everyday. My issue is actually typing. So please don't think I'm ignoring the story. Okay, notice that there is a message at the end of the chapter, please read it! I don't own any characters, objects, places, terms, etc. in this fic that you might recognize. Thanks!

* * *

On Sunday, Harry woke first and entered the living room with a cup of coffee. He noticed _The Daily Prophet_was lying on the hearth; someone had flooed it to them. _"Thanks Shaklebolt," _he thought. Unrolling the paper, he sighed upon seeing a picture of himself staring back from the front page; the headline blared

**"THE BOY WHO MOVED?"**

The story, written by none other than Rita Skeeter, rambled about the missing Chosen One, and several "sightings" of him in various places around the world. Harry rolled the paper up again and threw it back to the floor.

***

It was raining again, and while Draco slept in, Harry took Teddy to the WalMart on the outskirts of Forks. Their supply of food was dwindling, and the guard was refusing to shop in muggle public.

Lifting the child out of his car-seat, and securing a cap to the fine hair, Harry locked his car and walked into the store. He felt ridiculously out of place-(as he was an 18-year-old male pushing a child in a shopping cart while flustered parents raced by, pulling sticky hands and whining children behind them).

"Never be like that, Teddy." he whispered to his godson as a small boy kicked his mother's shins for not purchasing a Super Hero Pez Dispenser. Finally, Harry had stocked the cart with enough food for an army (because that was comparable to the amount of food that the household consumed) and began the process of checking out. Teddy watched, transfixed as orange juice traveled along the conveyor belt to across a glowing scanner where it "**beeped**" before sliding down an incline for Harry to place in a bag. While the baby occupied himself with fascination, Harry struggled to load the bags of goods back into the cart. The tired teenager at the register did not seem interested in offering assistance either. Rather, he stood impatiently waving a receipt for Harry to sign. Then, a velvet smooth voice spoke over Harry's shoulder, and the wizard shivered.

"Could you use some help?"

Edward Cullen lifted several bags from the conveyor belt at once and placed them neatly in the cart. He stuck his tongue out playfully at Teddy when the child looked up with wide eyes and an open mouth.

"Thanks," Harry said as he signed his receipt and pocketed a copy. "I guess that shopping is harder when Draco's not carrying half the load."

Edward grinned. "I figured. That's why I offered to help."

"So, what are you doing here?" Harry smacked himself mentally. Honestly. It was a _shopping_ complex. How many things could the teen possibly be doing?

"I'm actually here with my mother. She needed some opinions on what to purchase. Would you like to meet her?"

"Sure, why not?" Harry wheeled the loaded cart toward the exit where a beautiful young woman stood with a cart carrying several canvases and other art supplies. She couldn't have reached 30 yet, and had long chestnut hair that fell in waves to her shoulders. She smiled widely as he and Edward approached.

"Harry, this is Esme, my adoptive mother. Esme, this is Harry. he's in my biology and gym class at school, and this is his godson Teddy."

"Hello dear! My, you've got quite a lot to handle. Is your family large?"

Edward, standing behind Harry, closed his eyes and shook his head exasperatedly at Esme.

"Ah, no actually Mrs. Cullen. I'm just living with quite a few people that are too lazy to shop for themselves. We've got a house near the edge of the woods on the east end of Forks."

"You live near the woods?" Edward interjected curiously.

"Yeah, part of the property extends back there. There's some good trails for hiking and such. But we haven't been back there yet…"

"I hope that you're careful in there. I've heard that the woods can be a dangerous place," Esme told him.

"Of course, Mrs. Cullen."

"Esme, please dear. Now, would you like Edward to help you with these groceries?"

Harry blushed. "If it wouldn't be any trouble, I'd appreciate it."

Edward smiled. "It's no problem."

They exited the store and Harry led the way to his car while Esme walked off in a different direction (following an inconspicuous wave-off from her son). As Harry buckled in Teddy, Edward began to load bags into the trunk of the car. He gently shut the lid and ran his hands wistfully across the top. "This car is incredible. And the looks are deceiving. Who would have thought all those bags would fit in the trunk space?"

"Yeah, it's excellent." Harry ruffled his hair nervously. He didn't want to explain that there was an expansion charm in the backspace. He stood leaning against the car door, watching Edward. "Would you like to see the inside?"

Clearly this was a hidden desire of Edward's because his excitement was expressed plainly in his reaction.

"Really? _Yes._"

Harry chuckled and held open the driver's side door to the teen, who slipped in, barely concealing a grin. Harry walked around to the other side and sat in the passenger's seat.

''Incredible," the elder teen was mumbling. "This is just incredible. How did you get your hands on a _Lotus Evora?_"

Harry reached down to pull Moony from a bag at his feet and turned to give it to Teddy, who was whimpering in the back seat.

"Hm, well the Potter family goes back for hundreds of generations, and it's a blend of some pretty prestigious lines- including the Malfoys in some places- and as far as I know, I am the only heir to the funds."

"That's quite a responsibility," Edward commented.

"Yeah well I'm not one to randomly buy expensive things like this. Most of the money is being saved for further down the road, and Teddy's trust fund is already accumulating for when he goes off to my old school."

The car was quiet again, only Teddy's senseless babbles broke the silence from the backseat.

"Edward?"

"Hm?"

"How do you deal with it?"

"I don't know what you mean."

"Being different. From the others at school."

"First off Harry," Edward began strongly, "is that you must stop considering homosexuality to be a negative thing. Second, the more you get to know me, you might learn just how different I really am from everyone else already. Being gay is just another thing that sets me apart, and I don't mind much. Third, everyone in the school is too spineless to cross a Cullen. No one would bother me. Besides, I've never publicly come out here."

He smirked when Harry's jaw dropped. "Relax, Harry. I still know what you're going through. I said I haven't come out _here,_ but I've been to plenty of other schools. My family and I, we matriculate a lot."

"Do you think you will ever come out at Forks?"

Edward was quiet, as if thinking, and then looked into Harry's emerald green eyes.

"I'm sure that I would, if I had a relationship to show off."

The teen knew that he wasn't being subtle, but he was desperate to know what the other's reaction would be.

Harry blushed deeply, and Edward felt the inevitable venom rush as warm blood pooled in the wizard's cheeks.

Edward leaned back against the leather seat, and let out a heavy breath.

"Harry," he began. "Have you ever been in a relationship before?" He already knew the answer, but he wanted to hear it directly from him.

Harry ran a hand through his scruffy black hair, making it stick up at the back.

"Twice," he responded. "But in reality, they were meaningless. Two girls that turned out as experiments before I realized that I might prefer a bloke."

Edward nodded. "mhm."

"Right," Harry said shortly. Yes, this was awkward.

"I have a confession." Harry looked up at the bronze haired teen, who had spoken very bluntly and randomly.

"About what?"

"I told you the other day that I wanted to be your friend. But, I think that I really just want to be close to you. I can't bear to stay away from you. You fascinate me, if that doesn't disturb you. Harry, I've only been thinking about you since the first time I saw you. I'm completely confused, but I _am_ quite sure that I really like you."

Harry's eyes widened, but he didn't say anything. He looked out his window, watching the stationary cars that were parked around them. Edward ran a hand over his face.

"Right, I've said too much. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have even..."

He grasped the door handle and swung the door open.

"…way out of line, I'm really _really_ sorry." He made to close the door, but Harry stopped him.

"I'm not angry. Or disturbed. Just surprised is all. You don't even know me. And I've told you. I have many issues to deal with. I just have to think about it for a while, okay Edward?"

The bronze teen only continued to stutter apologies again, tugging at his hair, face flustered. "Okay." he finally said, and he closed the door. Harry turned around and looked at his godson, whose eyes changed to a molten gold color. " I know," Harry said to him. "Amazing, isn't he?" He crawled into the driver's seat, which smelled faintly of expensive cologne.

"What am I going to do, Teddy?"

He turned the key in the ignition and pulled out of the parking lot. His conversation with Edward Cullen rang in his ears the whole way home.

***

Two weeks passed. Harry did not talk to Edward unless it concerned schoolwork or coordinating teams in phys. ed. Mike Newton had not said a negative word to him, out of fear of a fight; though he still avoided the black-haired teen and made wide turns around him in the halls. Harry was also his prime target in all sports that they played.

Draco took a long walk every Sunday. Harry knew that he was meeting with Jacob Black, and he didn't know how serious Draco might be about that relationship, but he didn't ask.

The Boy Who Loved focused on his own feelings toward Edward Cullen.

_Did he like Edward?_

**Yes.**

He was sweet and _gorgeous _and just easy to be around.

_Could he trust Edward? _

**Maybe.**

But then again, Harry did remember what he saw that day in the lunch room. Edward could be dangerous, and he didn't want to leave Teddy, or himself, vulnerable.

_Did he want to be with Edward anyway? _

**Yes.**

Harry wanted to be with Edward as much as possible. He loved gym days because he had an extra time block with the bronze-haired teen. He hated lunch because Edward always sat alone in his car.

He wanted to be near him. Harry understood what Edward had been saying that day in the parking lot. He couldn't bear to stay away.

_Did he want a relationship with Edward Cullen?_

**Most likely.**

The problem was; when would he be able to tell him? They never spoke alone anymore, and Edward seemed to avoid him. With all this on his mind, Harry decided to wait.

***

On the first Saturday in October, Harry put Teddy to bed and took a shower before he settled down into his bedroom. In following routine, he swallowed a diluted vial of Dreamless Sleep, secured his wand to his wrist, stripped down to his boxers, and climbed into bed. He fell asleep when his head hit the pillow. It was 10:30 at night.

Harry jolted as though electrocuted and opened his eyes. Immediately wide awake, he glanced at the clock (2:28am) and became aware of the shrill alarm that seemed to be coming from the walls of the house. A second later, he noticed a commotion in the hallway, and he dashed into Teddy's attached nursery. The child was screaming, clutching at his sensitive ears, and his hair had turned an angry shade of red.

With the speed of one trained under pressure, Harry cast a _muffliato_ to alleviate the sound on the boy's ears, scooped him up, and was standing out in the hall with his wand drawn defensively in a matter of seconds.

He was shocked at what was happening in front of him. At least a dozen men (his guard, he assumed) raced up and down the stairs and hallways. Doors slammed and were spelled closed after being evacuated. It seemed like they were putting the house on lockdown. Harry recognized a few of the men; Dedalus and Viktor of course, and even Amos Diggory and others that he had met once or twice. He pulled Amos to his side when the flustered man shuffled past for the fourth time.

"Diggory! What is all this?"

The older wizard looked shocked at the sight of Harry standing there with Teddy under his arm. He spluttered a response.

"The wards, Mr. Potter! They have been triggered by a muggle!"

"So? A muggle can't harm us."

"Mr. Potter, don't you see? A normal muggle could not have avoided the notice-me-not charms, not to mention the Fidelius. We must find whoever it was!"

Harry clutched his godson closely and clenched his fist around his wand. Diggory was right. Who could have broken his wards? As Amos ran away, Draco came charging up the steps. Razor was hot on his heels; hackles raised and teeth bared, but still very much an adorable cub.

"Harry!" The wizard shouted. "You better come see this. Now." He gestured over his shoulder and was back down the stairs in a flash. Harry followed, flanked by two men that he did not know. Both of them wore blood-red robes with black tipped sleeves. They were elite aurors. Descending the steps, Harry noticed two things.

The front door of the house was wide open, and several wizards stood over a figure lying still on the ground- obviously the victim of an immobulous curse. Upon reaching the bottom of the stairs, Harry's face paled.

_"No,"_ he breathed. The golden eyes of Edward Cullen blinked up at him.

Harry looked at the guards that stood over the teen and addressed them. "You can get away from him."

They looked at him, and not wanting to disobey their savior, stepped away reluctantly.

"I would appreciate it if you lot went back to your quarters. Thank you for your quick and affective actions. I will be alerting Kingsley myself."

Now all the med hesitated.

_"Go."_ Harry urged. "He's frozen. All he can do is blink and speak- harmless to me. Do you think I cannot handle myself yet? Now _go."_

He passed Teddy to Viktor's arms. If the tension wasn't so thick, it might have been comical to watch Dedalus Diggle shepherd several men and a baby out of the room and up the stairs.

Draco remained, standing next to Harry, who breathed deeply before approaching the intruder.

"_What. Were. You. Doing?" _he bit out. Edward remained silent.

"Answer me!" Harry's voice was low and steady. Draco chuckled a bit.

"Sorry mate. Forgot. Tongue-Tied hex." he twitched his wand at Edward, who immediately opened his mouth with a rush of apologies and 'what's going on?'

"Why'd you hex him?" Harry murmured to Draco.

"_Silencio_ wouldn't work," he shrugged. "Harry, he's definitely not normal." Harry sighed.

"Okay. Thanks for everything. Look, can you go upstairs? I'll handle this on my own."

"Potter, Kingsley said that--

"I know what he said! Trust me, I can do this alone."

The blond teen knew he wouldn't win. He glared dangerously at Edward on the floor, and gripped Razor's collar. "I expect to see Prongs if you need help," he said to Harry. With that, he turned on his heel and he and his familiar disappeared with a resounding _crack!_

Edward gasped, closing his eyes tight. "What are you?" he breathed. His face appeared pained.

"That depends," Harry told him. He stood about a meter away from the teen, his wand hidden up his sleeve.

"When I went to sleep tonight, I was hoping I might be your boyfriend come Monday." Edward's eyes opened, watching him in shock. "You _said_ you didn't want anything from us. You _said_ you _liked_ me. But now, I can be your worst enemy. I can make your life _hell _if you don't have a good reason for breaking my wards in the middle of the night…" he cut off when he realized that Edward was pleading with him.

"Harry. Please. Wards? What're you…_please_ let me go? I'd never. I couldn't, please Harry. Please let me talk to you. Don't know what I've…_please_…"

It was the single most pathetic sound that Harry had ever heard. Edward normally radiated strength- but this? He was vulnerable, and _pleading_ on the floor. He was even… scared?

"If you break for it, that whole crew will be after you. They will kill you first. Ask questions later." Edward closed his eyes tightly again at the threat. If he hadn't been frozen, he would have shuddered to hear the raven-haired teen talk about his death so casually.

"Never, I'd never run." he muttered again.

Abruptly, he could move again. _What is going on? _he thought. _What they are dong, it can't be possible, can it?_

He stood quickly and cringed when Harry took steps backward.

"Tell me." Harry spoke quietly; a touch of hurt was in his voice. "What are you doing here, and how did you get here?"

"Harry, I--

"Just answer me. And then you can go."

"I was watching you. Or rather, that was my plan, and then there was an alarm, and--

"How did you get here?" the question was repeated angrily.

"I just walked," the teen shrugged. "I was going to climb a tree at the back. I saw that it met the window to your bedroom, but then the alarm, and--"

"When did the alarm go off? Have you been here before?"

"When I crossed the driveway, I think. Is that what this is? Security for your cars? Isn't this a bit extreme? No, I've never come before. Just tonight… _all for your cars?_"

"No, idiot. The driveway marks the property divide… You're on my property. How did you see it?"

"Like I see anything else of course! What's going on, Harry? Who are you living with, how did they freeze me, and how did that Draco Malfoy evaporate into thin air?"

Edward spoke rapidly so as not to be interrupted again. His tone developed a hint of hysteria.

Harry's face fell, and his dangerous demeanor dropped.

"You, you honestly don't know who we are? What we are?" Edward shook his head mutely, eyes wide.

"Dammit!" Harry cursed. "Why the hell are you here then?"

Edward ducked his head as though embarrassed. "I told you. I wanted to watch you. I know, it's unethical, but I _like _you. You never gave me an answer and I couldn't stay away anymore. I had to see you, and thought it would be interesting to watch you sleep…"

The teens were standing awkwardly in the living room. Neither taking an offensive or defensive position, but each confused by the other. Edward was very much aware that Harry was only wearing boxer shorts; his muscled chest was bare and heaving amidst the situation. He had a couple heavy scars across his torso, and Edward knew it was wise not to stare.

"Interesting? Why?"

Edward turned away slightly. "_I_ don't sleep."

"You don't…?" Then Harry gasped softly.

"I know what you are. I can see it now."

Edward cringed and turned his back on him, fisting his hair in preparation for what was to come. Disgust, rejection, fear.

"You broke through Draco's mind- you are special even among your kind. You made a dent in a concrete wall on impact; yes, I noticed, but I haven't told despite _much _better judgment. You are impervious to charm work, like _silencio_, and especially the fidelius. You don't sleep." Harry reached out and grabbed one of Edward's shoulders before backing away again. He felt the chill of cold skin through the teen's t-shirt.

"Vampire." he said calmly.

"Are you afraid?" Edward bit out.

"Not in the least."

The vampire turned, eyeing him for an explanation.

"You and others can resist charms, Edward. but as Draco demonstrated, you still fall prey to hexes, spells, and curses." Edward's eyes widened.

Harry groaned. "Surely you aren't really this thick. Congratulations, Cullen. You have encountered your first wizard."

While Harry smirked, the other teen sputtered with shock across his face. He recalled the flashes of light before his limbs had stopped responding. Then the feeling of his tongue being secured to the roof of his mouth, but…

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Of course you do, Edward. Vampires exist, why shouldn't other 'mythical beings'? I can do magic." Harry held his wand carefully in his fingers. "Everyone in this house can. If anyone should be afraid, it's you."

"But I'm not."

"You should be. I have the ability to hurt your kind. Kill them…"

Edward shook his head stubbornly.

"…I've done it before."

"You won't frighten me, Harry. I need you, and I won't let you go."

Harry sat down on a couch, covered his face with his hands, and sighed. "You know what _does _scare me, Edward? I think I need you too."

* * *

**THE SECRETS ARE OUT! I hope you don't think it happened too fast. I don't think so though, I made some time go by- (it's october now) Let me know what you think! ---darkestAngel13**

**NOTE! **

Hello friends!

I wanted to leave an update on what's going on here, because all of you have been so supportive and kind. My mom received a call from her doctor, who told her that the CAT scan that she went for did not give results that yielded any useful information as to why her CA125 number has skyrocketed. Since apparently a CAT scan only can detect about 50% of what is actually in your body, my mom will be taking a PT scan this coming Thursday, because the PT scans about 90%. There is no 100% accurate scan in existence. (UGH!)

So, despite the results of the test, it seems like my mom will have to return to chemotherapy. Since if the scan shows nothing, that means that the cancer is either small and they want to wipe it out right away, or it is dangerous- in a place they cannot locate, in which case they give chemo to get rid of it anyway. Surgeries are possible in the future, and my mom is depressed at the possibilty of losing the hair that she only recently regrew. With all of this going on, I am not always in the best mindset to actually type my story up, but I do have it written. Do not think that it will be abandoned, even when there are long stretches of time between updates. I think this is the longest amount I will ever leave. ALSO! Only 6 days of school left, and then I will be on an exam schedule, which should give me much more time to type. THANKS SO MUCH for all of your reviews, messages, and favorites/alerts. You are the best of the best!!!!!!!


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: **Hey everyone! Thanks for sticking with me and being so patient. Love you! Here's chapter 16, I hope you like it! I do not own anything that you recognize. All that belongs to JK Rowling and Stephanie Meyer. Please read the note that you will find after the chapter :) Enjoy!

* * *

It was six o'clock in the morning on Saturday. Harry watched Edward as he made his way down the street. He was not running, instead walking at a normal pace and looking back over his shoulder as though he were reluctant to leave. When he was finally out of the line of sight, Harry moved away from the window, turned and yawned widely.

After the confession of both the wizard and the vampire, the teens had talked for three hours. They discussed Edward mostly, and when the conversation did shift to Harry, he did not mention his past experiences or fame. The Gryffindor did learn a lot about the Cullen family-or rather, Coven.

They did not hunt humans, which was how they had assimilated into the normal world and could attend school.

However, the conversation between the two was less about what they were, and more of _who _they were, despite how cheesy that may sound.

Harry made his way to the kitchen, ready for some coffee, and replayed the discussion in his head.

Edward's favorite color is green. His favorite music is from the 50's. ("Music in the fifties was good. The sixties were okay, and the eighties were bearable as well.") He loved cars. Apparently this was a family passion, and even Rosalie was known for her expertise under the hood.

By 4:30 in the morning, Harry and Edward had made themselves comfortable sharing a couch. Harry lounged on the vampire's left side with his feet propped up on the opposite end of the sofa. The feeling of his bare back leaning against Edward's cold and broad shoulder forced him to conjure a t-shirt, which he slipped on to the vampire's silent disappointment. Talking casually, Edward carded his fingers through Harry's scruffy hair consistently. They each felt the closeness of the gesture, but Edward's touches were not romantic or intimate. Instead it was a sort of caring, loving mooring and they were very comfortable to be in the presence of one other.

***

Harry sat at the table sipping his coffee and ran his own fingers through his hair absentmindedly. Suddenly, Draco appeared in the doorway with Teddy in his arms. He placed the baby in a high chair and handed him a bottle before taking a seat directly opposite The Boy Who Lived.

"So what happened?"

"He's fine, Draco. He has no intention of harming any of us. Not a threat at all."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

The kitchen was silent.

"But what happened?"

Harry groaned. "It's a _secret, _Malfoy. You can't tell anyone, alright?"

"Potter, who would I tell?" The blond threw at him.

"They're vampires." Harry told him flatly. He picked up his mug and sipped from it again.

"Vampires."

Harry nodded.

"Vampires, and they don't mean any harm? Harry, surely you remember that the Dark Lord found fierce allies in the vampires. How thick are you?"

"Come on, Draco. Do you honestly think I could forget that? I'm not stupid, and I'd appreciate it if you didn't talk to me like I was. The Cullens aren't even aware of the Wizarding world.

…Weren't." he amended quietly.

"You _told _him? Potter! You may have jeopardized this entire safe house! The point in being here is to get away from the Wizarding world for a while. If this leaks, you'll have Skeeter and her press posse banging down the door by the afternoon. And they are _vampires? _This is so dangerous. How could you do this to us? _To Teddy_?"

Harry stood up quickly and his mug shattered. Shards flew, but he ignored them as they embedded in his scarred flesh. Luckily, the coffee had been drained minutes previously.

"You _dare _accuse me of being irresponsible? I know when I can trust someone. _You _are living here, aren't you, despite that damned mark on your arm? Yes, the Cullens have the potential to be a threat, but the won't be! They don't even feed from people. Draco, you better get used to Edward and his family, because we're going to be seeing a lot of them. You will not stand in my way."

Obviously uncontrollable due to a lack of sleep, Harry stomped childishly up the stairs in a rage and locked himself in his bedroom. Once inside, he collapsed bonelessly on the bed with a huff and slept until lunch.

***

When a bleary-eyed savior took a seat in the living room with a sandwich in hand, Draco hesitantly approached him and began an apology.

"Listen, Harry. I'm really sorry about what I said this morning. It was out of line, and I shouldn't have questioned you. I'm sorry."

Harry swallowed a mouthful of ham and mustard. "Thanks Draco. No problem."

The wizards were quiet. Teddy giggled from the floor as he swung Moony by a short soggy tail.

"So, I'm going to be seeing a lot of Cullen?" Draco raised an eyebrow at his friend, who blushed faintly. "What's that about?"

"Umm, yeah. I mean, you get to hang out with Jacob every week, and I-

"Wait a second. First of all, Jake never comes into this house. He hasn't even passed the curb, because I didn't want him to see any of what went on this morning. You don't see him at all. Second, you plan to have Edward Cullen, a _vampire_, like I have Jake? Harry Jake's my _bo_- _boyfriend._"

"Yeah," Harry responded. He was still shocked at that developing relationship. Who would have thought? Draco Malfoy and a Muggle!

"Have you ever even talked to Edward that way?"

"Ages ago." he answered nonchalantly.

"Really?" Draco seemed both impressed and surprised. "So what happened this morning then?" He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"Ugh, Draco! Nothing happened, I swear."

"Nothing? C'mon, Potter. You just let him leave? Just like that?"

"Well, I sort of leaned on him a bit I suppose. And he was playing with my hair. He likes it."

"Pfft."

"Shut up, Malfoy. Like you're an expert on this?"

"Not that it's any of your business, Potter. But I'll have you know that I've kissed Jake plenty by now."

"Oh? Congratulations." Harry was sincere. He knew that falling for a man- a Muggle, had been confusing for Draco. He was a bit peeved however, that Draco's relationship was moving at a much faster rate than his own. After all, Harry had come out first!

"Thanks."

"Oh, I reset the wards too," Harry told him as he bit into his sandwich.

"Really? To what?"

"The alarm won't go off when Edward comes by. If Jacob ever kicks up the courage to meet me, I'll do the same for him." He spoke around the food in his mouth, and Draco looked disgusted.

"You know, Jake isn't afraid of you. He thought we were, you know, _together _at first. That's why he doesn't like you. But he'll get over it."

"Well, when he does, he's welcome inside. Just make sure we all know when, so that there's no magic going on when he's here."

"Thank you."

"No problem."

Harry took the time after this conversation to finish eating his sandwich.

"Did you floo the minister yet?"

"Shit!" Harry bolted up and wiped his hands on his jeans. he raced to the fire, threw in a fist of floo powder and called "Minister Shaklebolt's Office--London!" Thrusting his head into the emerald flames, his conversation was out of hearing range for Draco. After a few moments, Harry pulled back and dusted the ash from his hair.

"That's done. All he said was to stay aware. I only told him that Edward was a friend from school and I'd be careful. Ugh, the minister of magic should _not _have to know about my private life. He also said he'd be talking to Dedalus and the guard. One less thing for me to do, yeah?"

Draco snorted.

"Hey do you want to go duel for a few hours?" he asked. "We haven't used the basement in a while."

"Sure, sounds good. Let me go find Diggle and pass off Teddy." Harry scooped up the small boy and flew him around; face down, arms spread wide, calling Quidditch commentaries. "And Lupin soars, flying high and fast- will he make it?"

Harry gently pried Moony from the spitty fingers and chucked the toy at the back of Draco's head, where it banked off the back of his perfectly groomed hair.

"Yes! Lupin Scores!!"

Harry ran with his godson from the room, both of them laughing as Draco growled.

"I'll meet you on the dueling floor!" he called after them.

***

The duel was friendly to begin with. Each teen fired a mild hex or jinx at the other as they talked casually. They discussed their schoolwork, teachers, and had exhausted the topic of Muggle vs. Wizard travel before their conversation finally ran out. It was then that the two began to duel furiously. They were confident in the other's ability to block and defend, so they did not hold back in their curses. The only spells unused were unforgivables. Then, several hours later, the wizards emerged from the dueling room, sweating and a bit worse for wear. They made their way to their bedrooms, and before entering the different rooms bowed and shook hands as per the custom of a wizard's duel.

"That was great, Draco. Good idea."

"Thanks."

"We should make sure we spar every once in a while like that. You know, keep our skills sharp."

"Ha!" Malfoy laughed. "My skills will always be sharp, Potter. It's in my blood."

Harry knew that the teen was joking based on the laughter in his eyes. This experience with Muggles, (and Jacob especially) was doing wonders for Draco's previous "Holier than thou" attitude. Harry smiled.

"Alright, Diggle probably put Teddy down already. I'm going to shower and go to bed. G'night." He entered his own room an closed the door while Draco headed off down the hall.

"Let's try for no emergency interruptions tonight, okay Potter?" The blonde's voice floated muffled through the door.

Harry shook his head laughing. He grabbed a towel off the top of a pile of clean laundry

and made toward the bathroom. He paused, and then backpedaled. He opened his window halfway.

_Just in case, _he told himself. He swung the towel over his shoulder and went to have a shower.

Harry emerged from the bathroom half and hour later with a towel slung around his hips. He shivered at the change in temperature from the steam to his cooled bedroom. He looked out the window, straining his eyes against the darkness and drizzle. He pulled his head back and tugged on a pair of boxers before sliding into bed.

It was raining, a good sign that there would be more clouds tomorrow.

Maybe he would see Edward then.

******

Edward slowed his stride again as he darted through thinning trees at the edge of the woods. He had left his house at a rapid sprint several minutes before and was constantly changing his pace- slowing down again and again. He did not want to appear as eager as he honestly was. The vampire took a hesitant step forward when the sloping driveway came in to his view. He remembered the night previously, when he ran carelessly across this strip of pavement before his sensitive ears were assaulted by a shrill alarm. Mere seconds later he had been incarcerated- no, _immobilized_, by men in long robes with sticks that produced bangs and flashes of light.

Wizards.

_Harry is a wizard._ Edward snorted at the sappiness of the situation.

A "magical"relationship.

He could practically see Alice grinning at the thought. As a matter of fact, she was probably grinning weeks ago. _"I've seen it," _he remembered her saying.

The vampire took a step onto the driveway. Harry said something about altering the wards, right? When no alarm sounded, he darted across the property and came to a stop at the base of a large tree in the backyard. Quick as a flash, he was crouching lightly on a thick limb that extending toward a window.

An _open _window.

He noted with a satisfied smirk. The teen checked his watch. It was 1:43am. He wasn't sure if he wanted Harry to be awake or not. On one hand, he would love to talk with the wizard. On the other, he was intrigued by the idea of him _sleeping._

There was only one thing to do. Edward crept forward, braced his hands carefully against the windowsill, and pulled himself through. His feet touched down on a soft carpet, and he looked around him.

No alarm sounded, he was still mobile, and _he was in Harry's room. _

The room was incredible. It was dark of course, being nighttime, but a soft blue/green light illuminated the length of one wall; casting the room into odd glowing shadows. It was a tank that was built into the depth of the wall. It contained sticks and rocks, a pool of water and a large python, which hissed loudly at him. Edward started and turned when something shifted on the opposite side of the room. Harry was asleep in the bed, breathing deeply and evenly. Edward's breath hitched and he moved silently toward the sleeping wizard. The snake was having none of that however, and rose up a bit, hissing again. The sound was ominous through the plexi-glass, and it echoed around the room. Slowly, Harry turned and sat upright. His bleary green eyes scanned the room from Ana to the bronze-haired teen, who stood as though he were a child caught with his hand in a cookie jar. It was quite comical to see the vampire looking so startled. He relaxed when Harry smiled at him.

" 'Lo Edward. What time is it?" His voice was gravelly, as was expected after just waking up.

"It's about 1:45 now. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."

"No, it's fine. I was hoping you'd come. I left the window open." The wizard ran his fingers through his hair, causing it to stick up more at the back. "You didn't wake me up anyway. That was Ana."

"Ana? Your python?" Edward walked close to the bed and sat down on the edge. He was pleased when Harry didn't find anything wrong with this.

"Yes. Anaklusmos. She knew you were sneaking in. She's protecting me."

"Riptide," Edward mused. Harry was impressed.

"Maybe she just doesn't like me." He looked toward the tank, and Ana flicked her tongue threateningly.

"No, she was protecting me, trust me."

_Ana, leave him alone. I want him here._

Edward's eyes widened as low hisses came from his boyfriend's lips. The sound, while menacing from the snake, was (dare he say it?) _sensual _coming from Harry.

"You can speak to her? Can you speak to other animals?"

Harry smiled. "No, only snakes. The language is called Parstletongue. I am a Parstlemouth. It's a very rare, "gift" even among wizards." he said, putting the word in air quotes. "Just like you can read minds, eh?"

The vampire laughed quietly. "Yes, but not yours."

"Does that bother you?"

Edward took a moment to respond.

"Sometimes. It is a frustrating thing. I want to know what you are thinking, but I also hate this talent. It is a major violation of privacy, and believe me- I know what it's like to have no private life."

Harry could relate to this. He remembered the newspapers that began just weeks after the Battle of Hogwarts.

_**The Golden Gryffindor Graduates! **_

_**Potter Seen Driving in Muggle London! **_

_**Potter Rents a Flat Just Beyond the Diagon Alley Entrance!**_

He had to move twice after that one.

"I thought you said you were the only one who reads minds?"

"Well yes. But we can hear whatever anyone else is doing at any given time. And Jasper's always reading your emotions, and then Alice wants to play psychiatrist… I know they mean well, but… This lifestyle is a curse, Harry."

Harry did not want to mention how cursed his own life had been up to this point. Instead he frowned apologetically.

"I can relate a bit I suppose. Being a Parstlemouth is the mark of a dark wizard in my world. It caused some difficulties for me a few years back."

Edward looked shocked.

"I am not a dark wizard, Edward."

"I never said you were."

Harry attempted to stifle a yawn, but Edward noticed. "You should go back to sleep. I kept you up last night already."

Harry was going to deny it, but the vampire raised an eyebrow at him. "Sleep please, Harry. I'm going to stay here and we can talk in the morning."

The Boy Who Lived nodded and leaned back against his pillow. "You can explore the room if you want, but don't go into the closet please. I'll show you that stuff some other time, okay?"

Edward nodded. He would not betray Harry's wishes.

"And stay in this room. We don't want a repeat with the gua--" he yawned widely. "Wouldn't want a repeat of last night."

"Of course."

And Harry fell asleep.

***

Edward carefully stood up, making sure not the jostle the bed. He decided to take advantage of Harry's invitation, and began to explore the wizard's bedroom.

One wall was covered in photographs. Some framed, some tacked with tape, but most seemed to just stick firmly. _"Magic"_ Edward thought. He was still trying to wrap his head around it. He was even more surprised when upon further investigation; he realized the pictures were _moving. _"No way," he muttered, before clapping a hand over his mouth so he would not wake Harry. He moved closer to the wall to inspect the photos.

There were smiling faces that he recognized from the picture album, but there were others as well. Most of the images showed the same three figures; two boys and a girl, who appeared to have grown up together.

He could easily identify Harry, who was always grinning between the lanky boy with red hair and freckles and the bushy-haired brown-eyed girl. In the youngest pictures, Harry was small and skinny, peeking shyly through long bangs and rounded glasses. The timid image changed to confidence at what seemed to be age 13 or 14; with a new pair of rectangular-framed glasses and a firm jaw. There was one of Harry in a Santa hat, being hugged by a handsome black-haired man who embraced him like a father would his son. A scarred man stood on the side, and looked on smiling softly at them. But Edward was curious when he noticed the more recent images; at maybe 16 and 17 years old, Harry's bright eyes were dulled and pained. His features were set, determined, and sometimes depressed. More than ever, Edward wished that he could know what Harry was thinking. What had the wizard been through?

The vampire skimmed past the waving, grinning, and brooding Harrys and acknowledged the other magicians in silly robes before his eyes came to rest on a square of papers at the end of the wall. They were newspaper clippings. About a dozen or more, and Edward looked closer. No, not just clippings- they were obituaries.

Every article was a tribute to a passed witch or wizard. When he read the obituaries, Edward was disgusted to see that not only were the persons deceased, but they had been murdered. He glanced at the names, dreading to recognize one that Harry had mentioned. Yes, he knew some of them.

Remus Lupin and his wife Nymphadora Tonks-Lupin. Edward snorted silently. "No wonder she went by Tonks."

There was a Weasley- Fred, who must have been related to the awkward boy in so many photos with Harry.

He did not know the name "Creevy," but was saddened to find that he was killed at 15. Hardly a man yet.

Then there was Cedric Diggory. Murdered at age 17, just after winning a prestigious competition called the TriWizard Tournament. The article stated that The Boy Who Lived, the only witness, was spreading the story, and that there was an investigation in progress. Edward checked the date- 4 years previously. He wondered why The Boy Who Lived was not named properly. Perhaps in the Wizarding world, periodicals masked the identity of crime witnesses with these silly names.

"Diggory" rang a bell in the back of Edward's mind. Yes, that's what it was. He heard Harry shout at someone called Diggory just before he was immobilized and pushed to the floor. But Cedric was dead. Edward made a note to ask about this.

Reading the articles again, Edward became frustrated at how vague they were. Rather than explain the circumstances of death, they rambled about honor and pride, almost as if the reader was supposed to e aware of what had happened. Were these murders well publicized? They were all similar events… and then something clicked in his mind. Draco's family gang, the "Death Eaters." Edward groaned and turned to look at Harry, who was still sleeping peacefully.

_"What have you been through, Harry?" _

He stepped toward the bed, toed off his shoes, and pulled down the sleeves of his sweatshirt to cover his cold arms. He peeled back the comforter and gently lowered himself into the bed. Harry rolled over toward him but did not wake up. so as not to chill him, Edward kept a small distance between the two of them, but ran his fingers through Harry's black hair. He hoped that the motion would not wake him, and was pleasantly surprised when Harry leaned into the touch and continued to slumber. Edward smiled softly.

"Goodnight Harrison."

*******

Harry felt like he was on a boat. He was rocking gently back and forth and a cool breeze ruffled his hair. Someone was calling him, and something was crying softly very far away.

"Harrison. _Haaarrisonnn," _a velvet voice spoke into his ear, and Harry opened his eyes. He smiled when he saw Edward- his Edward looking at him with golden eyes.

"Good morning Sleepy. I think that your godson is calling you."

The soft cries reached Harry's ears again. He sat up and stretched, blushing when the sheet fell away to reveal his unclothes chest and stomach. In the same instance, he noticed that Edward was in his bed. He didn't mind, he realized. This was a rather pleasant way to wake up. Perhaps Draco would fetch Teddy?

Unlikely.

Harry swung his legs out of bed and pointed at Edward. "No snooping. Stay here."

Edward smiled innocently and leaned back in the bed. "Sure thing."

The vampire watched as a boxer-clad Harry crossed the room, and went through a door, which he closed behind him. He heard Teddy's cries cease at the sight of his godfather. Then Edward remembered something. Where were Harry's scars? He decided he would wait before reaching that private topic.

Ten minutes later, Harry came back through the door carrying a happy baby boy, who was dressed in a blue one-piece sleeper. Edward's nose picked up the scent of clean baby powder, but the wolfish stench didn't reach him until Harry sat back down on the bed right next to him. Edward reached an arm around Harry's bare shoulders while the wizard fed a bottle to the boy. He tried not to wrinkle his nose, but Teddy's face was scrunched behind the bottle he held. Harry settled against the juncture of Edward's shoulder and neck, and realization crossed his face.

"You can smell him, can't you?" he said quietly.

Edward tried to avoid this. He didn't want Harry to think he was a threat to the child.

"He smells like baby powder," he replied casually. But Harry looked up at him, eyes pained.

"You smell Remus, don't you?" he asked again. He left no room for jokes, and Edward sighed.

"His father was a werewolf then?"

"Yes. But he was a great, great man."

"I am sure that he was. I can tell that he meant a lot to you. My father, Carlisle explained to me about Lycanthrope genes. I know that Remus was different from the other sort. Your godson's scent is faintly like his father's and I know he can smell me too, but he is not a wolf."

Teddy's eyes drifted shut again after he finished the bottle, and Harry sighed. "I'm glad he's like Remus. And he's a lot like his mum too. I wish that they were here with him."

"Tell me about them, Harrison."

"That's the third time you've called me Harrison." the wizard told him.

Edward began to apologize, but Harry cut him off."

"It's okay. Normally I don't like people using my whole name. But you're different. I like when you say it."

Edward smiled. "Tell me about them. Please?"

Harry closed his eyes as he let memories wash over him.

"I met Remus when I was thirteen. We were on the train to school when we first saw him, and he was asleep. Poor man took every opportunity to sleep in the days around the full moon. It was very hard on him…"

* * *

**NOTE:**Greetings and Salutations! Thanks so much once again for all the support, messages, and reviews that you sent my way. I assure you that none of them were wasted time, and I read each and every one. I appreaciate them a lot. So, even though I have been on the computer, I am not always typing. I already have talked to you about not always being in the best mindset to sit and type a chapter. Anyway, the results of my mother's tests came back and they were not as good as we were hoping. It turns out that she has two lymphnodes in her chest that are cancerous. Now, mom is putting herself in good spirits because she is aware that there are people around who are suffering far worse circumstances, but that does not mean that she deserves any less thought or support-- we have been trying to convince her of this every time she cries over a prayer card in the mail for her. These days are depressing for the family, and I am enjoying as much time as possible getting out of the house. Chapters will continue at a pace similar to what they have been at. Please remember that I never intend to abandon or halt this story. I am a martial arts student, and I will perservere!!!! Thanks again and please continue to be so amazingly patient!

Now for the story-- was the line about music right? If it's not, let me know- but I thought that was it. Ah well. I hope you liked it. Anything you want to change? Send me a message, I will see what I can do :)

Most sincerely, darkestAngel13


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N:**Hey there! Sorry for the super long delay, but I have lots to say, so please read the message at the bottom! Also note that I don't own any of what you are about to read, all of it belongs to Stephanie Meyer and JK Rowling. Oh- don't own any brand names either, such as- oh, i don't know... powerade, for example :) Enjoy!

OH! By The Way- things are heating up. If you aren't accepting of homosexual relationships, you can leave the fic.

* * *

Draco woke up when the birds outside of his window decided to raise their noise level to 'obnoxious.' The pureblood groaned, ruffled his hair, and cast a tempus charm.

11:40am.

"Dammit!" he shrieked, and he jumped out of bed. He used magic to hurry along his shower, and charmed his hair to the perfect state of rugged neatness. He rushed about his room with a towel slung on his hips as he searched for the right clothes to wear.

This was an important day.

Finally he settled on black slacks and a silver silk button down shirt. He tugged on a pair of black leather shoes and traded his wristwatch for a silver pocket watch- his 17th birthday present.

He looked at himself in the mirror and adjusted his collar. Over his shoulder he spotted Razor lounging on the bed, resting his head on his front paws.

"What do you think, RaeRae?"

He hadn't used that childish nickname in years, and the panther's ears pricked.

"A muggley way of Dress to Impress, right? Is it too arrogant?" He smoothed the front of his shirt and eyed a pair of washed out jeans that were folded carefully in an open drawer.

No, he would stick to the outfit he was wearing. He pulled his fingers through his hair and smirked as he watched it fall perfectly back into place.

"Okay," he breathed. "Nothing magic, no Death Eaters, all muggle. Not too arrogant, no sneering, swearing, or getting angry. _Polite." _he reminded himself. He was shocked at his own behavior.

_"Maybe," _he thought _"Maybe I care more about Jake than I even thought." _

He shook his head, secured his wand holster to his forearm and watched it disappear before he headed out the door. Razor huffed and put his head back down to nap.

Not a minute later, he shot up again as Draco banged the door open again. He grabbed a pair of swim trunks from his closet and then left for the second time.

The blond wizard made his way down the hall and passed Harry's door. He thought he heard his friend talking, but when he got nearer, the voice trailed off. Draco wasn't surprised; he assumed that Harry was talking to his godson. He peeked in on the nursery, just to be positive, and sure enough the boy was not in there.

_"He must be with Harry then," _he figured. Draco decided not to bother them, and briskly started down the stairs.

*********

The Slytherin bit into an apple as he stood out on the front steps, waiting. He kept one hand in his pocket, holding the pocket watch firmly, and he scanned the empty road for signs of an approaching car. Finally, as he finished his apple and vanished the core, he heard the familiar engine for Jake's Rabbit coming closer. He jumped the steps and met the car as it came to a stop at the curb. When the pureblood opened the door, Jake greeted him with a warm smile.

"There's my Dragon. How are you?" He pulled back onto the road and the sped away.

Draco leaned back into the headrest.

"I'm actually sort of nervous," he breathed.

"Babe," Jake told him, looking over his left shoulder as he they merged onto a main road, "Please don't be nervous. They will think you're incredible. Just like I do." He reached and entwined their hands. The warmth comforted Draco a little.

"You just had to make me meet them all at once?"

"Draco. I know that I only live with Billy, but as Quileutes we are very much a family all together. As for the boys, they're practically my brothers. We are quite close… almost like a pack. Besides, one day when I get to meet your family, you're not just going to introduce me to your dad and leave it at that, right?" Jacob chuckled a bit, but Draco's pale face drained.

"No," he said.

"Right!" Jake said happily. "So it's only fair that--"

"_No,_ Jake. You won't meet my family. Ever. Especially not Father. They… No."

The car slowed a fraction and Jacob's happy grin fell. "What are you talking about? You said they are still alive, didn't you? You said they're back in England. Why can't I meet them one day?"

Draco didn't meet his eye, and looked out his window at passing cars.

"Jake, I wish that I could introduce you to a family that would welcome you with open arms, but I can't. You can never meet my parents. I am really sorry. Please don't ask me to tell you about it now, okay? I don't want to talk about my childhood- you know that."

The Quileute looked at the teen next to him and saw a mix of desperation and pain in his expression.

"Okay," he conceded. "For now, alright? We will talk about it another time. But now, we are almost at the Rez."

Draco recognized the area that they drove past. It looked different in the daylight, but it was the same route to the cliff diving rock that lead to a portion of La Push Beach. Jake drove a while further before turning onto a narrower road. Up ahead there were several small houses; dense woods that extended to the south, and a sloping ridge which Draco assumed lead to the sand and waves below.

The car stopped in front of a cottage that had a ramp instead of steps. Draco had never seen a paralyzed man before. There were ways to fix those things in the Wizarding World. He wondered how he should act toward Jake's father. The russet-skinned teen caught him eyeing the ramp and opened his door for him.

"About Billy: Just treat him like a normal guy, okay? He's still a regular person- just in a chair."

Draco blushed. "Okay, no problem. You know, I still can't believe you do that. Call your father by his name, I mean. That would never be acceptable in the Malfoy family."

Jacob gave him a look, as though trying to interpret what 'unacceptable' would call for.

"Well like I said," he told him. "The Quileutes are very close to one another. There's no reason not to use first names for us."

Jake grabbed his hand in a secure and comforting way. He interlaced their fingers and pulled him to the house.

"It's just Billy for now. In a while we will meet the others on the beach for a barbecue." Draco stutter-stepped, and Jake steadied him. "_Really, _Dragon. I have never seen you so, like, not-you."

The blond twisted his hand away and wiped the sweaty palm on his pants before entwining them again.

"Sorry," Draco said. He breathed deeply. "Okay, I'm good now." With an air of confidence he followed Jake through the front door.

The large teen threw his keys onto a small table and walked into a room painted in warm colors. Draco trailed a few steps behind. A TV glowed with highlights from a sporting event, and a man sat next to the couch opposite it in a wheelchair.

"Hey Billy?" Jake called his attention.

The man looked up. He wasn't too old, probably around 40, and he had the same nose and jaw line as his son's. He smiled at the teen and his eyes crinkled at the corners-just like Jake's. Draco immediately felt any qualms leave him. Billy already seemed like a good man.

"Billy, I told you that I met a guy a few weeks ago. We decided that today would be introductions day. Congratulations, you're the first to meet my amazing boyfriend. So be nice."

"Ah, when am I ever not nice, Son? I can keep it real!"

Jake groaned. "Ugh, don't do that. Please." He beckoned Draco forward.

The pureblood reached them and stood with his back straight and heels together, as he had been taught by age three.

"Hello, Sir." he began formally. "It is a pleasure to meet you. My name is Draco Malfoy. I am 18 years old, and recently moved here from England. I am very lucky to be with your son." He held out his hand to shake, and Billy grasped it firmly, pumping his arm twice. "It's good to meet you as well, Draco. Nice posture, and very respectful. I like you already." He smacked Jacob teasingly, and received a glare from his son.

"Thank you, Sir."

"Now that's too much respect. Call me Billy please. You follow football, Draco?"

"Erm," Draco hesitated. _"What did Harry say about football?" _

"Billy. Leave him alone about sports. And "football" is much to complicated to ask him about. Which one? His football or your football?" he sighed. "C'mere, Dragon. Let me show you my room." He pulled the wizard away from his father, who laughed and turned himself back to the television.

"Leave the door open, Son!" he called.

Draco laughed, and Jacob blushed- mortified. He sat down, straddling a swivel chair backward and Draco flopped down to sit on the large bed.

"I am so sorry about that," Jake began.

The blond laughed again. "It's nothing, really." He looked around the room appraisingly. It was about half the size of his own room, and was decorated very differently. The walls were plastered with posters of cars, engines, and pictures that ranged from a very small Jacob to images that seemed to be taken just days previously. The motionless photographs, as always, disturbed Draco. He was reading a plaque on a bedside table that seemed to be some sort of philosophy when the bed dipped beside him.

"Do you approve?"

"Of the room? Yes. It's very _Jacob Black_."

"Good."

Jake reached one of his hands to cup that back of Draco's head and entangled his fingers in the blond hair. He leaned forward and kissed the wizard passionately. Draco responded immediately, opening his mouth to Jake's warm tongue. The Quileute positively growled deeply within his chest. They had never kissed this freely before. After a while, they both pulled back, breathing hard.

"Wow," Jake said. He licked his lips and grinned. "I've been waiting for that since you got in the car earlier."

"Yeah," Draco answered. "Me too." This time it was the Slytherin who pulled Jacob into the heated embrace, and Jake fell backward onto the mattress. They lay; side-by-side, kissing for quite a while until Jake groaned again and Draco felt his jeans tighten. Reluctantly, he pulled away and sat up. At the same time, the sound of wheels on hardwood flooring caused Jacob to jolt upward abruptly and pull a thick stack of blueprints from his desk onto his lap. Draco bent one knee up and tried to appear interested in the calculations and angles that were sketched in Jacob's horrendous handwriting. Billy appeared in the doorway.

"Hey boys. I'm going to head over to Harry Clearwater's for a second. He asked me to fetch him before we went down to the beach. We'll see you down there in about 10 minutes, alright?"

Jacob nodded. "Kay, Billy," he answered shortly.

Billy raised an eyebrow, but spun his chair around and rolled away. When the front door slammed shut, Draco turned to the teen next to him, glad that he had managed to will away his own erection.

"Convenient placement of those blueprints, Jake."

The larger teen flushed and rolled off the bed. He placed the blueprints back on the table.

"I'll be back in a bit," he muttered, and left the room- doing nothing to hide the prominent tent in his trousers.

Draco heard the door close to what he assumed was the bathroom, and grinned. He knew what Jacob was doing, and only a thin wall separated the rooms. He heard the unmistakable clank of porcelain as a lid was lifted, and the _swip _of a belt being unfastened. The thought that it was _him_ who had caused Jake to resort to doing this in the bathroom made the wizard groan, and he felt himself growing hard again.

Before he could hear anything else, he cast a _muffliato _on the wall and a cooling charm on his slacks. He breathed deeply and allowed himself to relax. He leaned back and waited for Jacob to come back.

After a few minutes, Draco saw Jake's shadow in the hall and cancelled the muffling charm quickly. The hiss of flushing water was recognizable, and when Jake entered the room, his ears were red in embarrassment.

"I'm really sorry," he apologized. "I guess you've got more control than me or something."  
"Don't be embarrassed, Jake. That…" he gestured to the bed where the two had been laying. "That was incredible."

The Quileute smiled. "Okay, we should head down to the beach. You brought a pair of trunks, right?" Draco stood and held up the swimsuit. "Still don't know why you want me to bring this. The water will be fucking freezing."

Now the larger teen grinned even wider.

"That's the point. Don't worry, I'll explain the game later with the others."

He pushed Draco into the bathroom. "Hurry up and change. If we are late to the beach, Billy will start spreading rumors!"

Draco laughed. He stripped, pulled on his trunks, and folded his clothes neatly. When he went back to Jake's room, the door was closed. He waited, and the door swung open a second later. Jacob was as shirtless as he was, and his white trunks contrasted beautifully against his reddish skin. The wizard swallowed. Looking at Jacob's face, he knew that the Quileute's reaction was similar, seeing Draco in only the low-slung shorts.

The pureblood reached up, kissing Jake softly and quickly. "What should I do with my clothes?" he asked. Jacob held out his hand to take them, and they were handed over. But instead of being placed somewhere as Draco assumed, Jake ruffled through the articles, then smirked.

"What?"

"Nothing. It's just- _boxers._ I knew it." Jacob handed the clothes back to the wizard and said, "Bring them with you. I can't keep you warm the whole time, and there's places to change and stuff."

***********

Jacob's family, with the exception of maybe Quil and Embry (who were annoyingly obnoxious,) were actually quite nice, Draco decided. When Jake introduced him, the large group of boys had hollered and cheered, clapping both of them on the back.

"Welcome to the Big Boys, Jake!" One named Sam had called.

Draco immediately liked Sam. He had a good sense of humor, and knew when he was taking teasing too far. The affection that he held for his fiancé, a young woman named Emily, was admirable. Meeting Emily was an experience. She seemed to expect him to shy away, but the scars that crisscrossed her face didn't disturb Draco. He had seen worse disfigurations as a result of growing up in a war. At least Emily didn't have an electric blue eye swiveling in her head. No, Emily, Sam, and Draco got along just fine.

In the afternoon, the younger Quileutes and Draco had built a fire pit in the sand, and they pulled chairs and coolers around to sit while they had their barbeque.

"So Draco," Sam started. "What can you tell us about yourself?"

The wizard swallowed a bite of sausage. "Erm, I'm 18. I am an only child, born and raised in England… uhm, why don't _you_ ask _me_ questions instead? That would probably be easier." He took another bite and waited.

"Alright, I go first!" One named Paul called. "What was your childhood like? You know, where did you grow up and stuff?"

Draco winced, and though he tried to cover it with a sneeze, Jacob immediately caught the look. "Paul, that's not what--

"No, Jake. It's all right. Um, my childhood was shit actually. I would rather not go into it. I mean, I was happy and had plenty, but when I got older I noticed how brainless I had been. I realized that most of what my childhood was, was crap." he ended that explanation.

"So where did you grow up?" Paul asked again. They skated over the topic of a crappy childhood. Jacob looked inquiringly at Draco too. For the last few weeks, this was the most that Draco had talked about his life before Forks.

"Um, I grew up in Wiltshire, in the Malfoy Manor." He tried to make this statement sound nonchalant so he wouldn't come across as bragging. Even Jake was impressed at that. He and Draco had never discussed money either. Though he had assumed that the Malfoys were fairly well off, he never thought that Draco would be the heir to such a fortune as a Wiltshire mansion. The boys whistled. "You got _money_, man!"

Draco blushed. "Next question?" He finished his lunch and leaned back, placing his hands behind his head. He noticed, out of the corner of his eye, as Jake eyed his biceps, pectorals, abs, lower…

"Why did you move from Eng- _Damn!" _

Draco jumped, startled. Embry leaned across a cooler and pulled the pureblood's left arm to him. The Dark Mark leered up at all the Quileutes. Draco's face fell, but he didn't pull his arm back as he usually did.

"That is fucking hot, Drake," Jake's large friend said. This added another reason for Embry to be disliked, in Draco's opinion.

"It's not. I hate it. And for the hundredth bloody time, don't call me _Drake_!" The wizard said lowly. "It's Draco, or Malfoy."

"Or _Dragon_," Quil sniggered, and looked at Jake.

"That is IT!" Jacob stood up from his seat, shaking violently, and many of the larger teens stood abruptly as well, looking as though they were wary of him or ready to hold him back. Jacob grabbed Quil and Embry by their arms and forcefully pushed them ahead of him. "We need to talk, now." he growled. "And for God's sake, the rest of you _sit down_! I can control myself." The grins that had been plastered across Quil and Embry's faces dropped and they walked off down the beach with Jacob.

Draco, amused and confused, did nothing but watch this exchange, and reached for a drink from the cooler next to him. He pulled a can from the ice and snapped its lid with a satisfying hissing noise. Suddenly, the drink was snatched from his hand.

"What the hell?" On his left, Sam took a swig from the drink as he sat back in his seat.

"Why'd you do that?"

"Because, Malfoy- you are eighteen, therefore underage, and cannot swipe a Coors from _my _cooler without it being taken from you. By me or by one of the elders." He tipped more of the drink back, and Draco growled.

These muggles thought he was too young for a beer? Merlin, they wouldn't stand a chance of holding down a fire whiskey, or say a bottle of Ogden's best. These were things he had first experienced at age 15 with the other Slytherin boys.

"Whatever," he sighed, and opened a coke instead. "And how old are _you,_ Sam?"

"Twenty-two," he smirked, and he held the beer aloft in a toast before downing the rest of it.

***

Meanwhile, further down the beach Jacob was attempting to calm down before he confronted his friends. When his furious shaking had diminished to a slight tremor, he turned to the two of them.

"I am _sick _of you teasing and jokes about Draco." he started slowly. "And now that he's finally here, you won't lay off him for a minute! I don't care if you are homophobic, or jealous, or just freaking immature, but you better get over it- and soon. Just because you haven't imprinted yet, doesn't mean that you can take the shit out of me because I have. Now, get this through tour head. _Draco is my imprint_. I care about him more than you can imagine."

"Man, we know! We can see it every time we phase!" Quil interrupted him.

"Well then you have no right to be so irritating! When I turn eighteen this January, I will be the alpha of this pack, and I will do more than just tell you to cut it out. You two are my friends, and I am only going to say this once. _Lay off of Draco and me. _Got it?"

He turned and left his friends silent in shock. He went back to their ring of chairs and threw a new piece of wood on the fire to keep it going. It sizzled and popped, throwing glowing embers higher into the moist air. Draco looked up at him, and Sam spoke from his chair where Emily was massaging his neck and shoulders. "Welcome back!"

"Thanks," Jacob muttered. "I'm sorry for that," he told Draco.

"Don't worry about it." Draco patted the seat next to him and Jacob sat down. He leaned over and gave the wizard an innocent kiss. When he straightened, he was holding Draco's soda in his grasp. He took a swig of the coke and grinned widely despite the blonde's pout.

"What is it with you people?" Draco reached to get his can back, but Jake easily intercepted his hand in his own and stuck his tongue out teasingly before gulping the remainder in one go.

"Hey!"

"Hey what?" Jacob asked innocently. He kissed the palm of the hand that he held, and intertwined their fingers. A few of the boys around shifted uncomfortably at the display of affection.

"Aww," a voice interrupted. "Look Sammy, young love." Emily was smiling sweetly at the couple from behind her fiancé. Draco's cheeks reddened, and he looked away.

Love? Him and Jacob? Yes, that seemed to fit. He was falling in love with him. Draco looked again and Jake, who winked at him. He smiled back.

Disrupting the moment, Quil and Embry ambled back into the ring of chairs, expressions that of a kicked puppy. They sat down heavily in the sand, and Embry huffed. Then he glanced up and blinked against the heat of the fire.

These motions were so reminiscent of Crabbe and Goyle that Draco felt a pain in his chest. As dull as they had been, the goons had undoubtedly been loyal and reliable. The three of them had grown up together after all, and Draco had been deeply affected by Vincent's death. He shook himself mentally and focused on what the Quileute teen was about to say.

"Listen, Malfoy. We are really sorry for all the shit we've been throwing your way. We thought it would be fun to tease Jacob for a while, but we've taken it too far. You're a good guy, and we are glad you'll be around, okay?"

Draco leaned back and looked at Jake without speaking. Receiving a raised eyebrow in response, he decided to answer Embry. "Alright. You're forgiven. But please note that I will plan and execute revenge."

The pack of teens laughed, but Draco was quite serious. He reached back into the cooler and took a sip of the first drink he pulled out. He made a face and spat it back into the bottle. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, smearing the dribble of spit and liquid that ran down his chin. Reading the label, he grimaced. Some muggle junk called PowerAde. It was strawberry-kiwi flavored. "Disgusting," he thought. "Pumpkin juice it's not."

"Oh come on," Jacob told him. "That's good stuff! You drink that and maybe you will be a strong man like me one day." He stole the bottle and took a swig from it. Paul made a face at him drinking the spitty drink.

"Planning to make him a man, are you Jakey?" Jacob and Draco glared at Quil.

"Sorry. Last one ever, I swear."

Draco laughed. "Just remember, mate. Revenge is in the works."

***

"Okay!" A younger boy, perhaps 13 joined the group.

"Can we play a game now? _Puhleease?_ I've been stuck with them oldies for the past two hours!" he gestured down the beach where the adults were hidden behind the dunes. no doubt enjoying their own fire. "You promised I could play, Sam."

"Alright, Seth. We will play. And you better be careful who you call 'oldies.' Your mother is over there, isn't she? Sue is hardly forty."

"Yes, Sam." Seth said. "Now let's go play."

As the teens got up and made their way to the water, Draco folded his shirt over in the sand, checking again to make sure the pocket watch was safe. He then caught up and grabbed his boyfriend's hand. They walked close together, at a slow pace.

"What are we playing?" he asked.

"Chicken," Jake said, grinning wide. "Not the shoulders kind. We don't have enough smaller people to climb up. This is how you play. See the shadow of the damp sand where the furthest waves have spread? That is our start line. What you're going to do is wait for a wave to come, and it should hit your feet. As soon as it starts to suck back, you run to the water. Go as far as you dare without actually getting into the ocean. Notice how the waves break right onto the sand rather than further out? That's the purpose. Don't get smacked down by the breakers. You can turn back whenever you want, and whoever goes the furthest without being hit wins."

"This sounds juvenile," Draco muttered.

Jake squeezed his hand. "It is. Quil and Embry and me made it up at age eight. But it's loads of fun."

"Would you hurry up?" Seth called impatiently.

****

Jacob was right. Playing Chicken with the Quileutes was a great game for Draco. The best part came when a rogue wave reached up further on the shore and swept back the spare clothes that Quil and Embry had brought to change into. When they chased the articles into the water, they reached chest deep before the cold waves tumbled them. They came up sputtering, wiping salt from their eyes, and their trunks were missing.

Amidst the laughter, no one noticed Draco, who stood further up the sand, secluded and taking a break from the excitement. He was attaching a wand back into an invisible holster on his arm. The wizard chuckled, watching the embarrassed teens cover themselves by retreating further into the October-chilled water. They shook the water from their longish hair, and those standing on the beach howled in laughter.

Draco shivered. He felt the salt from the cold water itching his legs from the knee down, and the breeze blowing off the coast cooled his wet skin to an unpleasant temperature.

A pair of warm arms wrapped around Draco's waist from behind. He immediately recognized the feeling that was uniquely Jacob, and relaxed against his bare chest. He placed his hands over the larger ones that rested on his hips and embraced the warmth. Jake ducked his head and spoke quietly next to Draco's ear.

"Are you cold, Dragon?"

"Mm, not anymore."

"I think the game is done. We've been playing for an hour. Do you want to go change?"

Draco considered, but changing his clothes would require leaving this quiet moment with Jake.

"No, I think I'm good right here," he murmured.

Jacob turned his head and kissed his white blonde hair, just behind his temple.

"Love you, Dragon." he whispered into the hair.

Draco turned upward and kissed his mouth softly. "Love you too."

********

Later that night, the adults had rejoined the younger Quileutes, and they all gathered around. Firelight illuminated their figures against the cloudy night sky. Billy sipped at a beer and cleared his throat to gain the attention of the group.

"Jake, were you thinking of sharing the legends of our tribe with your guest tonight?"

All eyes turned to the chief's son, who looked distinctly uncomfortable. What his father was really asking was did he want to reveal his innermost secret to his boyfriend. And in front of all these people?

Jacob knew that it was very important. He knew the right thing would be to tell Draco soon, but he recalled how quickly the blond teen had closed the discussion of his parents and childhood. The teen was hiding secrets too, and they would both share together in their own time.

"Not just yet, Billy." Jacob said, locking his eyes with Draco's. "I think it's been a long day. We'll share stories another time."

The Quileute boys groaned. They had been eager to show off their abilities.

"I'll tell him soon, alright?" Jake growled at them.

"Hey, hey. Jake, it's okay." Draco calmed him. "I'm tired anyway. Just tell the legends another time." he reached into his pocket and pulled out the silver watch. He flipped it open, snapped it shut, and replaced it in his pocket. "It's late," he addressed the group quietly. "I should head back." He thanked them for a great time, and goodbyes were called.

He looked up at Jacob. "Take me home?" The teens gathered their belongings, said goodnight, and made their way back to Jake's house where the Rabbit was parked.

* * *

**NOTE:**Hey everyone! Thanks so much for sticking with me. I have been having a great time since my last update. I went to visit my sister's fiance's family in Pennsylvania, then went straight to camp for 6 days in Garrison, NY. It was such a cool thing. 5 days of outreach service in the community, called the Capuchin Outreach Program. (went with my youth group from my church) Anyway, it was a great experience, where no technology was allowed, and couldn't type of course! After that I went to my aunt's house for the 4th of July. HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY, AMERICANS! I set off fireworks with my uncle (shh). It was really fun. You light the thing, make sure it's steady on the ground- and run! Loud and exciting- I've never felt more independent. LoL.

So, my mom is doing alright. She is starting radiation on Monday, and we are teasing her a bit about her "tats" (the tattoos that they mark on your skin to direct radiation.) We are all in high spirits here. I hope that your lives are going well also!

Best of Everything,

darkestAngel13


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N:** Hi Everyone! Thanks so much for the messages you sent! Great feedback, I really appreciate it!  
This chapter takes place on the same day (Monday) that Draco went to the reservation, it is how Harry and Edward spent the day. I hope you enjoy it! Remember, I don't own anything. Please read the note at the bottom!

* * *

At lunchtime, Harry left Edward in his room while he went to the third floor- where the guard stayed. When he reached the landing, he felt wards shudder and respond to his magic. In the next minute, the members of the guard congregated in the hallway. It was obvious which of the men were trained and hired aurors, as they were dressed in their red battle robes. Others wore casual robes, or even muggle clothing.

"Do you need something, Mr. Potter?" one of the elites asked him. Harry cleared his throat, uncomfortable giving direction to these grown men.

"I just wanted to let you all to be aware that the muggle from the other night is over here for a while today. Surely Dedalus told you that he was a friend?"

The guard nodded.

"Right, so leave the magic to the third floor. I don't want him any more startled than he was the other night. And, if you must make an appearance downstairs, just uh, leave us alone, all right? I don't want him overwhelmed."

The men nodded respectfully and most retreated back into their rooms or returned to whatever they had been doing before being interrupted. When Harry turned to descend the staircase, he heard a sharp snapping sound, followed by a muffled curse coming from his left. He walked into that room without knocking.

Viktor Krum's head shot up from the desk that he was sitting at.

"Hello Harry. How haff you been since the other night?"

"Fine, thanks. Is everything okay in here?"

"It is fine," Krum sighed. "I broke a part off the bed, but I vill fix it later." he gestured across the small room, and Harry noticed that the bed was leaning at an awkward angle. The front leg of the frame had been shattered to smithereens; the splinters littered the floor. Clearly, Krum had hit it with a bombardment curse. Viktor turned away and did not meet Harry's eyes.

"I am frustrated, Potter," he confided.

"With what? Can I help?"

"I do not know, I haff nothing to be frustrated vith. But perhaps that is the problem. There has been nothing exciting here except for Malfoy's headache and your intruder the other night. I haff realized what I am missing."

Harry was upset by this comment. He didn't think about the fact that the members of his guard were leaving their own lives behind to stay here with him. They were bored.

"Krum, haven't you been flying at all in the last few months?"

"No, I haff not." The seeker's eyes darted to the wall where a Firebolt broomstick was displayed in a case.

"Go find Bill Weasley and fly in the backyard today. That's an order. The yard is warded, no worries." With that, Harry left the room and went back to Edward. Holding his godson in one arm, he pulled the vampire by the hand through the house and into the living room.

When they were sitting on the carpet with the child between them, Edward's still heart nearly restarted as Teddy's hair abruptly shifted from tawny brown to his own mussed bronze. A spit of giggles and clapping hands accompanied the change.

"That's right, Teddy. Very good." his godfather praised before addressing his confused boyfriend.

"Teddy's mother was a metamorphmagus. They can change their appearance at will. Right now he can only alter his hair and eye color, but when he gets older his talent will improve. Body shape, facial structure, hiding blemishes of the skin…" he ran a hand over his forehead, but then covered the motion as through her were brushing his fringe out of his eyes. "…he should be a very good looking young man," Harry chuckled.

A door crashed open and two excited men raced down the steps and headed toward the back door. They were laughing and shouting quite loudly. Edward recognized both of them. One from the very first time he met Harry- the man with the thick accent. And the other- Edward had seen him at school. He recalled flurries of these men from the night before last, which he and Harry had begun to refer to as "the coming clean night." Harry quickly pulled his hand from Edward's and cleared his throat. The racing men came to a sharp stop and the clamor silenced as they turned to the sound.

"Bill!" Harry very nearly whined. "You and Viktor should be _outside."_

"We were going, Har- calm down." He eyed Edward over Harry's shoulder. The vampire's gaze was calculating. Dammit, he was recognized.

"Hello, Mr. Cullen."

"Bill," Edward nodded back. All security at Forks was known by their first name. Edward spun on his heel and raised an eyebrow at Harry. "Bill _Weasley_?"

The smaller teen winced as his boyfriend tapped his foot, wanting an explanation.

Harry sighed dramatically.

"Right then. Krum, Weasley, bring Teddy to Dedalus and then stay outside and summon whatever you might need please. I have to have a long talk with Edward."

Bill had gasped hearing his last name come from the muggle's lips. Then again when Harry mentioned 'summoning' around him.

"Harry! He knows about us? What the hell is going on? Have you talked to Sha--"

"That bloody minister does not need to know everything that I do, think or say!" Harry exploded. Teddy began to cry, and Harry scooped up the child, placing him in Bill's arms.

"The man has been almost as bad as Dumbledore recently! Merlin, would you all stop questioning me? It may have escaped your notice, but I am not the helpless eleven-year-old anymore! I can handle things on my own, I can take care of myself!" he finished firmly. He dismissed the others with a wave of his hand and they hurriedly left for the third floor, shocked into silence. They knew better then to argue any further with the infuriated hero.

"Bloody fucking hell," Harry cursed. He walked into the kitchen, and Edward followed- quiet and feeling awkward.

The wizard wrenched open a cabinet and sorted through several glass bottles before pulling out one that was filled with a light blue liquid. He glanced at the measure on the side, which seemed to indicate portions, but downed the entire contents in one go. Edward had no idea what was happening. He watched as Harry reached into the cabinet again but this time when the wizard pulled out a bottle, it refused to open- quite literally. He twisted the stopper, and it screamed something awful before capping itself again.

_"Draco…"_ the Gryffindor growled, but Edward was already seeing the purpose of the liquid. Harry was visibly calming; his fists unclenched, his jaw relaxed. He took a deep breath, replaced the angry bottle in the cabinet, and turned away, his head drooping.

"Harrison," Edward murmured softly, stepping toward him.

"The wizard faced him, and there were tears pooling in his vibrant green eyes.  
"I warned you. I did. I told you that I've got issues. You can get away now, before I even say anything." Edward watched as a long and slender piece of polished wood appeared in Harry's right hand. "I can make you forget it all."

"No!" Edward said hastily. He grabbed the wand from Harry's hand and held it firmly but carefully in his own grasp.

"No, I would never want to forget you." He pulled Harry toward him and embraced him.

"I don't understand why you're keeping secrets from me, though. I have not withheld secrets from you." Harry pulled back. His face was dry of tears, and he was masking any emotion.

"Yes you have." He accused stubbornly. "I don't know how old you are, where you're from, what your favorite…" Harry halted, only now just realizing that he sounded silly. "…food is."

Edward chuckled softly. He grabbed Harry's hand and entwined the warm fingers with his icy ones. He led the way back into the living room, and pulled them down onto the couch. They lounged closely together, and he resumed his favorite activity of raking his fingers through Harry's hair. "I wouldn't say those are secrets, Harry. Actually more like trivia that we simply haven't discussed yet. But if it appeases you," he shrugged a shoulder.

"I have been 17 since 1918. I was born in Chicago on June 20th, 1901. As far as I know, my parents were Anthony and Elizabeth Masen, and I think that I had a younger brother named Vincent- Vinny. Anyway, they all died. That's when Carlisle found me, suffering of the Spanish Influenza. My favorite food?" He hmmed, a grumbling sound emerging from deep in his chest like a growl. "I'd say mountain lion, or an irritable grizzly. Something with a bit of a fight to it. I enjoy a challenge, Harry."

Discussing Edward's feeding habits didn't disturb Harry as much as it probably should have. It seemed that, blood was Edward's lifestyle, and if it was Edward, then it was perfectly fine.

"You _think _you have a little brother?"

"Human memories fade," Edward said simply. "I remember flashes of my parents, because I saw them for 17 years. Vinny must have just been a little kid. The name just calls at me, you know? I don't actually remember him."

"That's horrible," Harry said. He remembered the flashes that were the only memories of his own parents, but didn't share this connection with Edward.

"Now, do you know enough of me to share your secrets? Who are you living with, Harry? Why is one of them at our school? Are you in trouble? Are, are you on the run or something?" He tried to laugh a bit, but it was clearly forced. "Tell me, Harrison. I want to understand."

The wizard sighed. He was very relaxed now, having settled after exceeding a normal dose of calming draught by a long shot.

"Okay, don't flip out. This is going to take a lot of magic to explain."

"Ill be fine," Edward assured him. He planted a kiss to the crown of Harry's head. In all honesty, he was excited to see the teen perform magic. He hadn't seen him do anything blatantly yet. Harry stood up and twitched his right arm. This time, Edward saw his wand slide into his fast from an invisible place on his forearm. The vampire startled. He looked at the side table where he was sure he had placed the stick of wood. At his confusion, Harry explained.

"It's a wand holster." he gripped something on his arm, and as he tugged a strapped piece of leather materialized. "Can't be seen or felt, my wand will always return to me. It's very useful in a duel, - a fight."

Edward raised his eyebrows in interest. "Oh? And do you do that often? Duel?"

"You have no idea. Remember, you said you wouldn't flip out."

He snapped the fingers of his left hand and commanded sharply, "Kreacher, I need you."

The elf appeared with a crack and immediately bowed low at Harry's feet.

"Master Harry Potter. How can Kreacher help his master?" his old voice was gravely, and one wrinkled hand reverently clutched a pendant that hung from a cord around his neck.

"In the back of my closet there is a trunk hidden under my dad's old cloak. Find it, and bring it down here. Then you can go back to the third floor."

While Kreacher still belonged to Harry, he was serving the guard on the third floor for the duration of their stay in Forks.

"Of course, Master." he bowed low again, his snout-like nose brushing the carpet. He disappeared in a thin silver cloud with a snap of his own fingers. Harry looked up at Edward, who he knew wanted an explanation. "Kreacher is my house-elf. They are odd little things; bred to be servants and they like it! Their purpose is to serve wizards, but Kreacher's probably the only one of his kind to be paid." In that instant, Kreacher appeared again and next to him a large trunk materialized.

"Dismissed," Harry muttered, and the elf was whisked away again.

"Last chance," Harry said to Edward. "You don't have to get involved in all this. Otherwise you're going to have a lot to deal with this afternoon."

Rather than warning Edward, he seemed to be trying to find a way out of talking. Edward just stared at him stubbornly. "I want to know," he said. Harry didn't answer. Instead he approached the trunk, waved his wand and said _"Alohomora."_ Edward heard a click and the lid snapped open. Quickly, a flash of gold zipped out of the trunk and Harry's hand reached up and snatched it out of the air. It happened before even Edward's advanced sight could comprehend it. Harry pocketed the thing and sifted through items in the trunk. Edward was in shock. Again. He looked on in awe as Harry piled boxes upon boxes out of the case and settled them on the carpet.

While he was stacking, Viktor and Bill snuck back down the stairs silently and slipped out the back door. Edward hardly spared them a glance.

Then, Harry reached a plastic tub from the bottom, about six inches long and four inches wide. Harry placed this container on a table, whispered _"engorgio," _and the plastic box grew until it was about four times it's original size. Then the Gryffindor knelt and pried the lid off with his fingers. Edward leaned forward to peer inside. He was mildly disappointed when he recognized more newsprint. Then he noticed that they were complete newspapers, not just clippings, and hopefully no obituaries. Every headline proclaimed slogans that made no sense to the vampire.

"You-Know-Who!" but Edward did not know who. And these odd names repeated consistently.

"The-Boy-Who-Lived! Golden Boy, Chosen One! Only Hope! Hero… _Potter._"

Edward's head shot up, his golden eyes searching Harry's emotionless face.

"Read them," Harry instructed. "Start with this one." A newspaper dated October 31, 1981 was placed in Edward's cold hands. Underneath the flashing 'Daily Prophet' title, a large picture of a house- or what was once a house, covered the front page. The roof was caved, the walls crumbled, and smoke steamed out of the rubble. In bold lettering, Edward learned the answer to one very important identity.

**THE DARK LORD, DESTROYED?  
HARRY POTTER- THE BOY WHO LIVED!**

The paper was opened to the correct page immediately, and Edward scanned the article.

_Dark Lord… he who must not be named… Potter home destroyed… James and Lily Potter confirmed dead… Harry Potter eighteen months old… survives killing curse… lightening bolt…Savior. _

The paper was snatched from Edward's hands and was replaced with one from the very next day,

**SIRIUS BLACK ARRESTED FOR  
INVOLVEMENT IN POTTER MURDERS**

Pages of images showed a handsome man with the man that Edward recognized as Harry's father. These men were obviously very close, like brothers. One showed Black holding a giggling Harry, waving at the camera. Then, a furious mug shot of the same man, his eyes bloodshot and mouth open in a horrifying shout as he was held down in a prison uniform.

_Witnesses identify Black… secret keeper… betrayal…twelve muggles dead… entire city block destroyed… Peter Pettigrew killed, honored with Order of Merlin First Class for tracking Black._

Harry pulled the paper away again. "That's only the beginning," Harry muttered. Edward nodded. "Alright," he replied. He held out his hand for the next newspaper.

***

An hour later, mostly because Edward was a _very _fast reader, they had reached Harry's fifth year at school.

"Why are these so _awful_?" Edward asked Harry. The headline of the paper was flashing between **"POTTER"** and **"PLOTTER."** Beneath these were two pictures, one of a proud Harry in a battle outfit taken just after his defeat of the Hungarian Horntail, and right next to that, Harry was clutching desperately at the lifeless body of Cedric Diggory, blood streamed down one arm, which was bent at an awful angle.

"This makes no sense. Isn't it clear that you faced something horrific? Who would _not _believe you?"

Harry groaned. "Everyone, apparently. The minister was a dense git. That's the only reason. Now keep reading, and we will talk when you're finished."  
Edward continued reading the articles.

***

With a heavy sigh, the vampire stacked the final newspaper on top of the pile. The cover page was a picture of a wide expansive room. Bodies were strewn motionless across the floor, and mourners stood huddling closely together. Clothes were torn, people smeared in rubble, dirt, and blood. In the near left corner, Harry knelt; having fallen to his knees at the entrance of the room, and tears spilled down his cheeks. Blood stained the side of his shirt, seeping rapidly and thickly through the fabric. His hands were fisted in his long and tangled black locks, and his head was turned upward, despair on his face. His mouth opened in a pained cry as the tears continued to flow. The headline flashed, entirely too happy to match the image.

**HARRY POTTER: DARK LORD'S DOWNFALL  
SAVIOR OF THE WIZARDING WORLD**

"So, what happened?"

"That's basically it," Harry said. "I got sick of the attention, and I didn't really feel like chasing any more dark supporters for a while. I left it to the aurors- dark wizard catchers."

"But who are you here with?"

"My advance guard. They're under my command, but they're supposed to take out any threat that they sense. Death Eaters are after my location. Draco's too.  
"And the Death Eaters are You-Know--  
"Who's supporters," Harry finished with him. "Correct."  
"I don't understand that."

Harry chuckled. "The Wizarding world is quite spineless sometimes. The bastard's name was Tom Riddle. Called himself Voldemort. Do you like how they didn't say it _once _in over ten years of news?"

"And Draco joined the Death Eaters? He said so in his English project."

"Yes, he did. Under his Father's threats."

"Where are his parents now?"

"They are both in prison. His Father will get something called the Dementor's Kiss in June. He's supposed to get a year in Azkaban, and then have his soul removed. It's an awful thing to experience. His mother's just in for five years."

"And the tattoo? That's from the Death Eaters, isn't it?"

"It's called the Dark Mark." Harry ruffled through the newspaper until he found one titled

**TERROR AT THE QUIDDITCH WORLD CUP!**

The Dark Mark loomed in the sky, eerily bright against the dark clouds. He showed the image to Edward again. "Voldemort imprints it onto the arm of his followers, and it burns when he calls you. Draco hates it."

"I assume he would.  
Can you tell me about hogwits?"

"Hogwarts," Harry dragged out. His accent still smothered the 'r' and Edward laughed at him.

"It's amazing. There are hundreds of corridors and secret hallways to get lost in, and the staircases change. The portraits talk and suits of armor walk around. Ghosts float straight through walls when you least expect it, and I love every bit of it. Our houses, do you remember what I said at school? That's all true. We are divided by our qualities and personalities, but a hat chooses it! It wanted to make me a Slytherin, but I asked it not to."

"You asked a hat?"

"Yes."

"Magic is incredible."

"I know."

"Where is this?" Edward gestured to the top newspaper.

"The Great Hall. It's where the final battle took place. See these over here?" he pointed out the dead figures on the right of the page.

"That's Remus and Tonks. And Fred on the left there. George, his twin, is the one that's holding him. I don't know how he's living. Fred was his other half. That's Colin Creevey over here."

A young man with a dirty face had blood-soaked hair sticking to his forehead. A shattered camera hung around his neck on a strap, and broken bits of it were embedded in his hands, which, caked in his own dried blood, were clutching his wand. He was grinning even in his death.

"He never stopped smiling, even when I would yell at him. He'd do anything for me, and I was awful to him."

"I'm sure he forgives you, Harry." Edward comforted him.

"Yeah."

"Are you okay?"

"Yes. I'm done talking about this for today."

"That's fine," Edward said softly. He pulled Harry close and tugged him down onto the couch next to him. He tucked the wizard's head into the space between his neck and shoulder, allowing the hero a few minutes to collect himself. Harry relaxed as Edward threaded his fingers through his raven hair. The vampire breathed in the sweet scent, and the color of his eyes darkened significantly. He didn't want to bite the younger man though. No, never hurt him. He wanted to…

"Harrison," he murmured.

"Hm?" Emerald eyes looked up at him.

"I want to try something."

The wizard sat up a bit, turning to face him. Edward shifted too, pacing one hand on the wizard's cheek, cupping the side of his face carefully.

"Stay very still," he cautioned. He swallowed back the venom that coated his mouth, and watched Harry's eyes flutter closed. His breath hitched, and the scent overwhelmed him again.

"Don't. Don't move, " Edward whispered. He leaned closer and softly met Harry's lips with his own. The Gryffindor was warm and perfect, and Edward was astounded as his skin seemed to heat, adjusting to the frozen skin of the vampire. He felt Harry move forward, and hands came up to rest at the nape of his neck. The kiss deepened. Edward allowed himself to be pushed backward, and ran his own fingers through the mess of black hair above him. Harry's skin was still heating, and abruptly Edward felt a burning pain lance up the back of his neck. In the same moment, he felt the cooling sting of venom in the back of his throat again, and he jumped back at the combination of both sensations.

The vampire leaned heavily against the wall and watched as Harry panted on the couch. He brought his hand to the back of his neck, and was shocked to feel the usually cold marble skin was blistered and heated. The feeling was odd against his icy fingers, but he pushed the pain away. He had done it!

"I guess I've got more control than I thought," he said quietly to the wizard.

"I knew you wouldn't hurt me," was the answer. "I know you have good control. I just wish I could say the same." He looked down at his hands, then glanced around the room, as though looking for something out of place. Edward held the back of his neck with one hand, using it as a cold compress that he heard Carlisle mention once.

"What are you looking for?" he asked.

"Something broken, bent, burned, smashed, obliterated…" Harry responded. "I felt magic release. It happens with erm, strong emotions. I just don't know what it affectEdward!" he jumped up, pulling Edward's fingers away from his neck.

"Merlin," he groaned. The flesh of Edward's neck was angry red and blistered, peeled radiating heat. It stood out spectacularly from the flawless pale of the rest of his skin. "Merlin, I'm sorry!

But Edward chuckled.  
"What's so funny? These are third degree burns!"  
"The burns aren't funny," Edward explained as he placed his hand over the spot again. "But your reaction is."

_"Merlin!"_ he mimicked in a soft, concerned tone. "You're a mother hen, Harry."

"Am not!" Harry argued. He held the vampire's hand in his own. "Come with me, I have a burn salve in the kitchen that can fix that. I am so sorry. This is my fault." he tugged him toward the cabinets.

After applying the burn salve to the back of Edward's neck, Harry reached up and placed his forehead against the newly healed skin.

"'m sorry again," he mumbled into the vampire's back. Edward turned around and looked Harry in the eye. "I would say it was well worth it, though." he bent his head and kissed the wizard for the second time. He backed Harry against the counter and braced his hands against the granite countertop on either side of Harry's torso. Harry's hands came up and rested on the vampire's waist, twisting his fingers into the hem of Edward's shirt, simply holding on.

A whistle and a voice interrupted the moment.

"Well now! Harry Potter is all grown up! Someone alert Rita Skeeter!" Harry broke the kiss swiftly and looked over Edward's shoulder. The vampire's head was bowed in embarrassment (or frustration?) at being caught. He didn't face the man who entered.

Bill tutted at the hero. "What would Mum say, Harry? You didn't tell her you left the country so you could hook up!"

"I wonder how easy it would be for you to get your old job again if you have no positive recommendations from the Boy Who Lived, Bill. " Harry threatened.

"Not funny."

"You started it. What do you want?" Harry placed his hands on Edward's shoulders and turned him around. He pivoted to greet the security guard, but Bill just laughed and winked at him. Edward was intrigued by what the man held in his hand. _A broomstick._

"You have _got _to be kidding me," he stated. The broom was sleek, the twigs were trimmed and perfectly shaped. The wizards ignored his incredulous exclamation and continued their discussion.

"Krum didn't bring a snitch. Idiot. I thought _he _was supposed to be the professional? Anyway, can we borrow yours?"

"Couldn't have waited ten minutes?" Harry grumbled. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a flash of gold that Edward had noticed earlier. Harry opened his palm to reveal a small golden ball, about the size of a golf ball. The vampire watched as it spread a pair of fine wings, beating so rapidly that they became a blur. The "snitch" leapt from Harry's hand and darted across the room, where Bill snatched it from midair. The movements were speedy and impressive.

"Bill!" Harry admonished. "You are challenging Viktor Krum on a _Cleansweep seven_? Pathetic, mate. Borrow my Firebolt. It'll be more evenly matched. Weren't you a chaser though?"

Bill grinned at this. "Best chaser in my year, no doubt. But with all my brothers, I've played every position. Not like a stand a chance anyway." he looked out at the back door, where everyone knew Viktor was waiting outside. "But the Firebolt will help. Where is it?"

Harry raised his wand and Edward was immediately attentive. He wondered what sort of hocus-pocus he would see this time. _"Accio Firebolt!" _the wizard enchanted. At first, nothing happened, but a second later Edward recognized the whistling sound of something moving rapidly through the air. Harry reached out his hand, and another broomstick flew into it. This broom appeared newer, sleeker, and more _aerodynamic _than the one that Bill held. The two wizards traded, and Harry placed the old broom on the counter. He turned away from the red head, wordlessly saying, "Yes, you're welcome; now go away."

"See you later, Mate." Bill said, and the back door closed again.

Harry smirked up at Edward, but the vampire only raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms.

The wizard sighed. "Yes, yes. More magic, so confusing. Come on then, I will teach you about Quidditch." he pulled his boyfriend back into the living room, where they spent the remainder of the day discussing the sport.

* * *

**NOTE: **Hello friends! Just wanted to let you know that this isn't the only explanation that will be given of Harry's life. Edward has only the gist of what went on by reading the newspapers. Discussions will continue over the duration of the entire story. Confused? Questions? Let me know, I will see if I can change something or explain. Also I needed a few chapters that would happen in consecutive days, so I decided that for the sake of things, Forks HighSchool has Monday and Tuesday off from school. You can use your own imagination to decide why :)  
To clear things up, Edward broke the wards on Saturday Night, They spent the night talking, Harry and Draco argued on Sunday morning, Edward came to visit on Sunday night and explored the room, then on Monday Draco went to LaPush and Edward and Harry's day took place in this chapter.  
Hope that makes things easier!  
--darkestAngel13


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: **Sorry for the wait, all notices will be at the end, so you can get to the chapter! Enjoy!!

* * *

When Edward slipped out the back door to race back through the woods, Harry headed up the stairs to check on Teddy, who would hopefully be fast asleep. As he walked, he noticed the shadows cast across the front wall of the house as headlights broke through the surrounding darkness. From his place halfway up the staircase, Harry ducked to see through the first floor windows and scanned the street. He recognized the reassembled car that belonged to Jacob Black and for the first time realized that Draco had not been around all day. Harry grinned that the Slytherin had been out of his and Edward's hair for the time. He continued up the stairs to the nursery.

Forty-five minutes later, Harry emerged from the shower and was towel drying his hair when he heard the front door open and close downstairs. He paused, tossed the towel onto his bed, and walked out into the hallway with his hair damp and unruly. He met Draco at the landing, startling the blond as he tried to sneak quietly up the steps.

"Draco. Had a good night?"

He took in the Slytherin's ruffled appearance, then noticed his belt- which was twisted in the front near the clasp.

"A _very _good night?" He raised an eyebrow and waited for a response. Draco seemed as though he were going to deny it at first, but then thought otherwise and gave in.

"You have no idea how good," he breathed.

"Oh, Draco." Harry admonished. "In the car? Please tell me you didn't."

"No!" Draco said quickly. "No, Merlin, no. We are no where near ready for that yet."

"Mhm," Harry gestured to Draco's appearance and the pureblood reached up to smooth his (for once) mussed hair. "Nothing happened." He assured the Gryffindor. "We were talking, and then… we were just having fun." he finished lamely.

"And the belt?" Harry reached and snapped the leather teasingly.

Draco looked down and blushed, horrified. "Nothing happened!" he repeated. "I swear, things just got a bit," his voice dropped off.

"Tight?" Harry offered smugly. Draco nodded, unabashed. "Yes, tight. Now if you would excuse me," he ducked around the laughing halfblood and slammed the door to his own bedroom. Harry chuckled again, and for the millionth time was fascinated by this dramatic change in Draco Malfoy.

***

Razor paced behind the closed door. He smelled his master just beyond it, and the scent was heavily diluted by that interesting canine musk again. The panther's ears were pricked as his human's voice echoed down the hall. A moment later, the door banged open and closed, causing Razor to jump back agilely. Draco stood at the entrance to his room and immediately reached out to caress the black animal, excitedly crooning to him as he knelt on the thick carpet. With Draco's fingers in his fur, Razor rolled and collapsed to the floor with a content sigh, allowing the familiarity of his Malfoy to wash over him.

"Do you remember when I told you that I was in love with the pretty girl who tailored my outfits for Father?" The blond asked his cub.

"I was 14 then, and stupid!" he laughed. "I thought I was _in love, _Razor- wasn't I an ignorant boy?"

Razor said nothing of course, but Draco carried on. These one-sided conversations had been custom since Razor's arrival.

"But I know better now, Rae. It's Jacob Black that I'm in love with. He's amazing and perfect and he doesn't even need magic to be that way. Of course, obviously Father would never approve. What _would_ he say, Mate?"

Razor blinked lazily as the fingers moved to his belly.

"I know. But that's why he doesn't have to know. If I don't tell Jacob about the Wizarding world until after June, then the news of Malfoy and the Muggle will never reach Azkaban until Father is…" His throat caught.

_Dead? Soul-less? How did one describe the victim of a Dementor's Kiss?_

"…gone. Yes, so that's the plan then. The rest of the Wizarding World can go screw themselves if they don't like it." This phrase was a fun line that he had picked up from Jacob.

_"Ignore Quil and Embry. They should go screw themselves," _he had said. Draco smiled fondly.

"I don't give a damn about what they think of Jake. But we'll see what happens come July, eh?" He patted Razor's head between his relaxed ears and stroked the silky fur.

In his gut, Draco knew that he would not last keeping this secret from Jacob- and not even close to making it until July. The conflicting thoughts that radiated from his master swirled around Razor in a sea of color and emotion. As nimble fingers moved to stroke the plain above his muzzle, the panther closed his eyes and slept.

***

The next morning, Tuesday, Draco walked down to breakfast with Razor at his heels. He was startled to see not only Harry and Teddy, but a vampire in the kitchen as well. Razor, affected by instinct, immediately turned tail and darted into the next room, nudging a food bowl along the floor with him. Teddy was in his chair, happily sporting scruffy bronze hair and babbling nonsensically to Moony. Harry was sitting at the table eating from a bowl of cereal while Edward looked on. Draco saw that sucker's shoulders tense as he entered the room, and was confused when the vampire turned to look him in the eye with a hand covering his nose and mouth.

"Holy _crap!_ Where the hell have you been?" He forced out in shock.

"Excuse me?" Draco asked.

"Edward thinks you smell awful, but he's probably too polite to say that to your face," Harry supplied. A shovel of cornflakes entered his mouth and Draco turned back to Edward for an explanation.

"You smell like wet dog," the vampire told him bluntly. "It's quite repulsive. Where have you been?"

"Thank you, Count Dracula, but you have no right to lay down demands in my own house."

" 's _my_ house, Malfoy." Harry interjected with his mouth full.

Draco glared at him.

"Just saying," Another spoonful of cereal chased down the previous.

"Anyway, as if it were your business, I was at the beach yesterday. I probably just smell like low tide or something."

But Edward was not appeased. "Which beach?"

"For Merlin's sake, does it matter? La Push, up at the Quileute Reservation. Any more asinine questions, Blood Boy?"

"Not at the moment, Death Eater."

Edward's sneer fell from his face and he froze as he witnessed Draco's immediate reaction. The wizard growled loudly, spun rapidly on the spot and disappeared, reappearing inches from Edward in a cloud of thick silver mist and with a _crack_ like a gunshot. A polished stick of wood was held threateningly to Edward's jugular hardly a second after the vampire had made his jibe. His chin was lifted in surrender to the weapon at his neck, and his eyes were wide. He studied the livid teen and the wand held at him.

In any other situation, he would have curiously inquired about the differences between this one and Harry's. As the wand skimmed his throat, he could spot a few. For instance, Malfoy's wand was the color of mahogany, whereas Harry's was as black as his hair. Also, there were 6 grooves engraved in the wand trained on the marble skin under his jaw. They were shallow grooves placed about 3/4 of the way down the length, near the handle. Draco noticed Edward's gaze and smirked.

"D'you know what they are, Cullen?" he muttered. Edward shook his head, the wand remained trained on his cold throat.

Draco tutted at him.

"Don't you know anything about _hunting?" _

_"_They are the kills that I made on My Lord's orders," he spat. "And those six were only on scheduled raids. Would you like to be another?" He asked the question so innocently it was as though he were inviting a friend to tea. Suddenly, a switchblade appeared in his left hand. "I wonder. When a vampire is carved, does he spill his own blood, or the blood of his latest _snack?_" he hissed venomously.

The loud clatter of a spoon landing in an empty bowl startled Draco, and Edward leapt out of range with incredible speed during the distraction.

"That's enough, Draco. Eat your breakfast or get out." Draco lowered his wand, and from the other side of the room Edward glared at him.

"Oh I _know _you're not defending him, Harry. You heard him!" The pureblood snarled.

"Yes, and I heard you start it, too. Edward doesn't understand all this yet, and he can't help it if you smell like crap."

"Very well then." Draco accepted defeat, and the switchblade vanished. He pulled a cell phone from his pocket and slipped his wand away. Harry noted how the pureblood's fingers fluidly dialed an obviously well used number. Malfoy walked out of the kitchen and headed toward the front of the house.

"I'm going to breakfast with Jake." he called over his shoulder as he waited for the line to pick up.  
"I'd appreciate it if there wasn't an ignorant leech in the house when I return."

"I'm sorry about him," Harry told Edward when he heard Draco begin a conversation in the living room. "I should have told him to cut it out sooner."

"Harry, don't worry about me. I'm fine. I just didn't realize how _sensitive _he'd be about it."  
"Edward, you might never realize a lot of things about how our lives are like."  
"What do you mean?" Edward exclaimed. "I'll get to see your world one day, won't I?"

But Harry hesitated; running his hand through his hair and making it stick up at the back.

"I don't know. I mean, I haven't…"  
"They think you're straight?" Edward guessed. Harry gave him a small smile. "I've been Witch Weekly's Most Eligible Bachelor in every issue since I was sixteen."

Edward whistled. "All the more reason for me to come then, right? Someone should let them know that you're no longer eligible."

Harry chuckled a bit. "Maybe," he dragged out with a sigh- and Edward knew that he hadn't won yet.

"But I'm still a vampire," Edward said quietly.

"Yes," Harry told him. "And it's not that _I _have a problem with it. But you must understand, this is why I came here; because every bit of my life is in those papers. There are owls at my window every morning, to complain to me about this or that, or to thank me, or… Edward. I have had thirty-nine marriage proposals, twenty six that want to have me at their child's birthday, and one request to adopt me. I don't want to think about what's waiting for me when I get back. I want you with me, Edward. But I don't want to put you through all this. It's too hectic, and the Wizarding World will not be happy to know that I have found a vampire to spend my life with. They would think you a threat, and I won't put you in danger."

Edward listened quietly to Harry's speech, laughing in the middle, but then grew serious. "Harrison," he began. "When you go back at the end of this school year, you've got to take me with you. I know I've only just found you, but I've been waiting for a century! You, you can't do that to me. You've got to take me with you. Don't leave me behind."

Harry rubbed at his tired eyes, pushing his fingers past the frames of his glasses. "We'll see," he said when he looked back at the vampire. He leaned forward and kissed him softly. Someone in the doorway cleared their throat.

"Glad to see that you've finally hit puberty, Potter, but this is all the more reason for your sucker to be gone later. Please make the necessary arrangements; Jacob is coming home with me in a few hours. Au revoir!"  
He left the room and the teens in the kitchen heard the front door slam. Teddy startled in his seat, and his long winded conversation with the wolf was interrupted. He scanned the room, then looked up at Harry and loudly clapped his hands before shifting his hair to a white blond color. The child blinked.

"That's right, Teddy. Draco made the sound. Change back now, Baby. There's no need to make Draco any more vain about that hair of his."

Remus' son looked up at this godfather with his mouth open, clearly confused. Harry sighed.

"Go ahead, Edward. Make him laugh. He'll turn back to you again." The vampire pulled a silly face and the boy screeched in laughter. Sure enough, the blond locks changed to match the previous shade of bronze, and he smiled proudly as he clapped his hands again.

His godfather laughed with him. "At least someone in the house likes you, Edward. Besides me." The vampire smiled. "I don't want to make Draco any more angry. I'll leave, okay? I'll see you tomorrow at school and-" Harry cut him off.

"School! I didn't even think about it! Oh, this is going to be horrific. They aren't going to leave me alone if they see us together."

Edward hushed him and smoothed his hair. "Please relax. It will be fine. Let's just see what happens, yes? We'll just go with the flow, okay?" He breathed in Harry's scent and listened to his rapid pulse calm.

"Okay."

"Good. I'm going to go home." The vampire bent his head and kissed Harry, then left the house. Harry watched him disappear into the trees, and made his way to the third floor. The wards at the landing alerted the guard to his presence, and Harry was hit by a wave of deja-vu as the men lined up.

"Okay, here's what's going on. We have a muggle that will be in the house around 11am, and we don't know when he will leave. Unlike before, this muggle has never seen you, and we would like to keep it that way. You must remain up here until you are told otherwise, and silencing charms will be cast around this floor to keep you unnoticed. I will be adjusting the wards within moments, just so you know. That's it. Thank you."

The men nodded and Harry descended the steps again. He shook his head. He still felt uncomfortable spouting off direction to these adults. The Chosen One sighed and flopped down on the couch.

The wizard was watching television when his phone rang. The caller ID, which read FERRET lit up in his hand and he flipped it open.

"What, Draco?"

"Clean my room," came the urgent voice from the speaker.

"What? No, why would I?"

"Please, Harry. I'm sorry for everything I did earlier. But Jake will be back any second, and then we're coming home. Please clean my room, no magic stuff."

"Where's Jacob now?" Harry asked. There was silence on the other line.

"Draco-?"

"He's paying the check."

Harry burst out laughing. "You're letting him pay? A Malfoy, is letting someone else pay? Does he even know how freaking loaded-"

Suddenly a new voice came through the line from Draco's side.

"Hey Babe, let's get going."

Harry nearly gagged at the nickname.

"Harry, please. Just put it all in your room for now, and I'll take care of it later. If you don't, the results will be your problem to deal with. Thank you." Draco hung up and Harry groaned. He pried himself up from the couch and shuffled upstairs. When he opened the door to Draco's room, he experienced a strong urge to punch the pureblood. The room was anything but muggle.

"Must you be such a pureblood?" he muttered before getting to work. The first and most obvious thing to go was the large moving poster displaying the Bulgarian Quidditch team. Players flew in and out of the frame at will, and Harry banished it to his own room, replacing it with a large Slytherin Banner. He lifted a Nimbus 2001 from it's rack on the wall, and it followed the poster down the hall.

Six years of spell books, a box full of bertie botts, and two trunk loads of other magical items later, Harry had successfully removed all signs of magic from Draco's room. He patted Razor, (who had stood by and watched as the room was searched), and added a finishing touch to the room before closing the door and walking back to the living room. Not a minute later, the front door opened.

***

Harry approached the doorway to get a look at Jacob Black. After all, the only time he'd seen him had been in the dark.

Draco entered first of course, and he looked questioningly at Harry, who nodded. The blond mouthed "Thanks" and beckoned to someone behind him. The russet-toned teenager stepped into the home and looked around him. He then bent his elbow, sneezed violently into the crook of it, and apologized.

"Gesundheit," Harry said.

Jake's head turned and met his gaze. "Hello, Harry. It's good to see you again."

"Yeah, you too." The wizard replied.

The three stood awkwardly in the entranceway for a while longer before Draco finally broke the ice.

"Okaay, so me and Jake will be upstairs. See you later, Harry."

The Boy Who Lived was actually glad that he wouldn't be required to remain around the couple. He hadn't had time to just himself in a while.

"I'm gunna go for a ride then," he told Draco. "Teddy's down for a nap. Take care of him when he wakes up, okay? I put a monitor in your room." He grabbed his keys and walked out to the garage.

Draco took Jake's hand and led him up the stairs. "We'll go to my room. Just keep your voice down until we get to the end of the hall."

When he opened the door to his room, Draco appraised the changes made and deemed them acceptable. He noted the addition of the small white box on his bedside table, which he knew to be a baby monitor. Jacob noticed what he did not at first. Draco's dresser was lined with a wide range of cosmetics; gloss, eyeshadow, and lipstick- which also covered the mirror. The phrase **"I 3 Jacob Black"** was scrawled in various shades of lipstick and sparkling colors. Several hearts held the initials **JB+DM**. Jacob pointed out the display when Draco sat down on the bed next to Razor.

"Um, not that I'm not flattered, but what is this about?"

Draco looked up. "What? Oh- My- HARRY! I did _not _do that, Jake. And I have no idea where all that came from because it is _not _mine. Harry must have done it when he set the monitor."

Jacob laughed. "It's okay. That is a good prank, and we can just clean it up. Do you have any glass cleaner and a rag?"

Draco hesitated. Kreacher did all the housework. Where would that elf keep cleaning supplies? Jake noticed his pause. "Well, what about a ratty t-shirt?"

The wizard looked affronted. "Jacob!" he scolded. "None of my clothes are ratty. You know that. Just leave it for now, and I will make Harry clean it later."

"Fine."

"So, what do you think of my room?"

"It's huge. And your taste in decorating is awesome. Very _Draco Malfoy._" Draco felt guilt simmer in his gut. This room wasn't him at all. It was a drastic difference from _Draco Malfoy, _whose room was truly dripping in magic.

"What's this?" Jacob gestured to the Slytherin Banner.

"It's my house symbol from the boarding school that me and Harry went to."

"It's cool! Snakes are awesome creatures."

Draco looked up from petting his familiar. "You think so? Harry likes snakes too. Now you have something in common and you can actually talk to him. I want you to get along…" a dawning look crossed his aristocratic face and he mentally slapped himself.

"What?"

"I just realized that I was being a huge ass this morning."  
"About?"

Draco sighed. "Can I trust you with a secret?"  
"You know you can." Draco smiled at him.  
"Harry is sort of dating Edward Cullen. And I was a jerk to him."  
Jacob crinkled his nose. "That explains it!" he exclaimed.  
"What does it explain?"

"Nothing," Jake told him. "Just that you were angry on the phone earlier. You were riled up from an argument, I assume?"

"Yeah."  
"So apologize. But not now, okay?"  
Draco grinned. "Okay."

They talked for a while before the monitor crackled and a baby's cries were heard. Draco groaned.

"I'll be back in a minute. We will have a guest. I'm sorry."

Jake waved off the apology. "It's no problem, really."

Draco got up and left the room. Jake leaned back on the bed and appraised his surroundings once more. Razor sat up from the foot of the bed and padded softly across the wide comforter to flop down beside the Quileute. The cub curiously sniffed him, running a cold nose up his torso and burrowing into the space between his arm and side. He huffed, and then rubbed his muzzle into the juncture of Jake's neck, which made him laugh.

"I must smell odd, huh?" he said quietly. "But you are a curious fellow, aren't you?" He lifted one of his warm hands and skimmed Razor's fur. The cat purred. "You are silly, Little Guy. My kind chase yours down in the woods for sport, and you want to be my friend?" He scratched the cub's chin. "What would you think of my other form? Would that be enough to scare you away?" he continued to stroke Razor, muttering aloud. "Would your master be scared of me?" Jake sighed, waiting for Draco's return. After not too long, Draco came back into the room holding a cooing baby under one arm and a folded contraption in the other. He didn't meet Jacob's eyes as he placed the baby in the center of the bed, barricaded him with pillows, and unbent a playpen before moving the child into it with a few toys and noisemakers to play with. He then approached the bed again, tugged Razor gently by the scruff of the neck, and pushed him back to the foot of the bed. Jacob looked confused. "Dragon, is everything okay?"

"Tell me," was his response.

"What?"

"Tell me now. Everything."

"I don't know what you're talking about…" Jake began, but Draco held up a hand to cut him off. The pureblood then reached into his pocket and pulled out a small white box. He leaned over Jake and spoke into the box's twin, which was sitting on the bedside table, inches from Jake.

_"I must smell odd, huh?"_ he imitated.

The sound echoed strangely out of his own throat, into the first speaker, then back out of the monitor in his hand. _"What would you think of my other form?"_ he added. When the echoed voice died away, Jacob's face was drained.

"Tell me what you are hiding, now." Draco demanded. His eyes were steel grey and his voice trembled with the effort it took for him to keep steady. He was furious- a popular Malfoy expression that Jacob had yet to see until now.

Suddenly, Jacob broke. He fell forward and rested his elbows on his knees, cradling his head in his hands, and coughed a dry sob. Draco's eyes immediately softened and he moved closer to his boyfriend. "Jake," he told him calmly. "Tell me what's going on."

It took a moment, but Jake steadied himself and looked up again. "I love you," he told Draco sincerely. "I need you to know that."

"I know."

"Please let me kiss you again. Before I tell you."

Draco sat down next to him and tugged him into a warm kiss. When he pulled back, he scooted away again, waiting for Jacob to begin. To his surprise, the Quileute began a tribal legend.

"The roots of the Quileute tribe are ancient. It begins with the descendants of the wolves. The descendants still have strict territorial lines, which they defend against a sort of, rival clan. When a Quileute reaches his, or sometimes her, maturity, they obtain the responsibility of protecting the tribe and defending its territory. We change forms to become fierce fighters against our sworn enemy- a challenge for them is rare, but we are a sort that they cannot defeat easily. We become wolves." He finished the tale, not caring that he had omitted various details and facts- something that would anger his father and disgrace his Alpha inheritance. He studied the black and silver bedcovers.

"You're a werewolf," Draco spoke. His voice cracked on the word.

"Yes."

"Who are you fighting?" Now the blonde's voice was strong and curious.

"You believe me?" Jacob's tone was incredulous.

"Who could make up such utter crap? I have no choice but to believe it's true." He moved closer to Jacob again, and took his hand. "It also explains why Razor's such a freak around you." The panther's head shot up like a prairie dog's, ears pricked and eyes open at the sound of his name. The teens laughed at him.

"Tell me who you are defending against," Draco requested. "I want to know."

"It's not _who, _it's _what."_ Jake told him. "Hey, how much does Harry know about his boyfriend?" he asked randomly.

"Cullen?" Draco asked. "What does he have to do with, no way!" he exclaimed.

"See, the Cullens are supposedly descended from this rival clan, and there was a treaty made, ages ago, that swore for us to keep their identity secret. There are conflicts now and again, but otherwise we usually have just maintained a friendly feud. But now my generation has started phasing again, which means-"

"A conflict?"

"Yes."

_"Well, that's got to be me and Harry," _Draco thought. He smirked at Jacob. "I know you know what the Cullens are. It's okay, I know too."

"_You _know what they are? Are you sure?"

"Vampires," Draco said calmly. "Not like I'm thrilled about it of course, and I've hardly met the lot of them, but Harry's never been so happy. And it's been what, three days?"

Then Draco realized something. "It's _your _fault!" he accused.

"What did I do?" Jacob asked frantically.

"Edward Cullen told me I smelled like a wet dog! That's how the entire argument started! He smelled you on me." Draco was laughing now. "And I thought he was just being a prat, but he was serious! And you smell him too, don't you? You smell him here, and that's what that face was for."

Jacob nodded, glad that Draco was laughing. He liked when Draco was happy. He thought it seemed like 'happy' was new for the blond, and loved when he let down his reserves and just laughed. "What face?"

"The one you made downstairs, a second right before you 'sneezed'. It looked like you'd just been struck by a bad smell."

"I was," Jacob pouted, sticking his lower lip out. "Don't tease my facial expressions."

"Aw, did I hurt your feelings?"

Jake sniffed and whined. "Mhm."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Your expressions are very cute, Jakey."  
Jake dropped the act. "I am _not_ cute." he argued.

"No?"

"No! I am a ferocious wolf!" He lurched forward and pinned Draco to the bed. He held the teen's wrists above his head and straddled his waist. Then he leaned down and nipped playfully at Draco's neck. He sighed and breathed deeply at the juncture of his neck and shoulder, inhaling the scent that was uniquely Draco. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier," he said. The heat of his breath made Draco's neck warm and moist. Draco sighed. "Don't worry about it. I'm just glad you would have told me eventually. Right?"

"Of course," Jake told him hastily. "I couldn't have _not _told you because, well there's actually more to it."

The Slytherin strained against the warm body that pinned him down. "What else?" he asked. But Jake didn't let him up. "I don't want to frighten you off."

"You are not going to scare me away, Jacob Black! Please just tell me what it is!"

"Okay, okay. The Quileute wolves must have a specific mate. They are born, made to match each other. And the wolf's mate has the ability to sort of put the werewolf into a trance. That is called an imprint, and it's how we know we have found our mate. In turn, the mate feels pulled to the Quileute. They are soul mates," he ended quietly. He traced circles on Draco's wrists with the pad of his thumbs and waited, not meeting his imprint's eye.

"I'm your imprint?" Draco whispered.

"Yes."

"And we are destined to be together? There could never be anyone else?"

Jacob's grip lessened significantly and he rolled off of Draco. They now lay side by side. "You, you _could_ find someone else," he stuttered. "But no one ever has. According to legend, once you've met your imprint, it is impossible to feel complete with anyone else."

"I knew it," Draco grinned. Before Jake could ask "What?" for the millionth time that day, he continued. "I _knew _I wasn't homosexual. I am _Jacob-sexual. _That's why I was so fucking confused!" He chuckled, and his werewolf nodded. "I thought I was straight too," he admitted. "You wouldn't believe how quickly the magazines under my bed were in the garbage." His ears turned a deep red, as though he couldn't believe what he had just admitted, but Draco smirked and chuckled again.

"I still love you, even if you are a canine once a month."

"Once a month?" Jake asked him. Now the wizard was puzzled. He raised an elegant eyebrow at the werewolf.

"The Quileute wolves phase change at will, not at the full moon. That's just a myth. There's no such thing as those lunar changes." he shook his head and grinned, showing he thought such a concept to be ridiculous. Draco only nodded. "Does it hurt?"

"Not at all! It feels completely natural, like running."

Draco tilted his head to the side, where he could see Teddy quietly playing in the playpen on the floor. He remembered learning about the painful transformations that the boy's father had endured.

"That's good," he said when he looked back at Jake. He leaned over and kissed him soundly.

Jacob threaded his warm fingers into Draco's white-blond hair and tugged him closer.

_"mhm, __**very**__ good," _he agreed against his lips. He rolled over and resumed his previous position, straddling the wizard. The kiss had intensified and hands were exploring before Jake pulled back with an awkward expression.

Draco sat up. "What now?" he whined.

Jake panted. "I feel so _dirty," _he whispered. "I can't kiss you like this _here!" _he waved a hand, gesturing to Teddy, who sat in his playpen with a binky in his mouth. As though he knew he was the topic of discussion, he looked up at the two and made a muffled _"gkee"_ noise around the binky. He grinned behind the thing, then clapped his hands and made the sound again. He was the perfect picture of innocence. Draco leaned over the edge of the bed and peered over the rail of the play pen. He gave the child a stern look and said to him,

"You really are a menace, you know that? Keep up with these cutesy things. The world will know you are a Marauder's Son."

* * *

**NOTE: **So sorry about the wait, again. Life still sucks, and I'm trying my best! Remember that I don't own anything you recognize, it is all JK Rowling and Stephanie Meyer. I went to a youth rally this past weekend, it was really a life-changing experience. I reccommend experiences like those to anyone in the high-school age. It's such a great stress-reliever and an awesome way to have a fresh start. Hopefully the next chapter will be up soon. Please let me know what you think of this one!


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: **Hi there. Yes I am back. I swore I wouldn't abandon this, right? Well, many things have cropped up in my path, and I must say that the story was shifted to the back burner for a while. Anyway, here's the next chapter. I hope you like it! Remember- I don't own anything. Please read the note at the bottom, and leave a review, too!

* * *

On Tuesday evening, Harry and Draco sat in the living room, chatting casually on random topics. Teddy was down for the night, his even breathing could be heard through the monitor that was always close by as he slept. Harry shuffled the deck of exploding snap cards; a motion that lifted ash from the table in a soft cloud as they shifted rapidly in his hands.

"So, a werewolf and a vampire. Both of them male, having no previous knowledge of the Wizarding world. Merlin, we sure can pick 'em, Malfoy."

Draco nodded, drinking deeply from his Butterbeer as Harry dealt him a hand.  
"Or current knowledge," he muttered.

Harry looked up at him, pausing for a second before he continued to deal.  
"You haven't told him? Malfoy, I hardly think that's fair. With this whole instinct-bond thing…"

"Imprint," Draco informed him, and Harry nodded.

"Imprint, then. Is it right to not tell him? The poor bloke nearly cracked telling you."

"Please don't lecture me, Harry. I'm experiencing guilt for once here. I don't need you enforcing it." He played his card and Harry cautiously laid a card atop it, frowning at the deck.

"So _you_ think that you should tell him too?"

"Of course I think I should, but I can't. The results would be horrendous. I fold," he continued. He laid down his hand a second before the smoldering deck erupted.

"Hah!"

He grinned triumphantly at Harry and combined the smoking cards again to shuffle while Harry scowled.

"For you or for him?"

"Hm?"

"Would the results be bad for you or for him?"

The blond considered as he dealt. "Both, I suppose."

"Liar."

Draco scowled. "Shut up, Potter."

"No! You're covering your own ass. Too frightened to bring Jake home where you know you'll be torn down as a hypocrite. You are being a Slytherin, Draco. Cut it out."

"You have no right to talk to me like that!" Draco argued. He brought a fist down on the table, and his drink fell to the floor with a shattered crash. "The Great Boy Who Lived in the Closet for two years because he's afraid to ruin his image! Are _you _bringing _Cullen _home, Harry? What're your Weasel and Mudblood going to say when you've got a blood- sucking _bloke _on your arm, eh? Which of us is covering his own ass?"

Their smoldering deck of cards was ignored as the wizards shouted at each other. After some minutes, the explosion jolted them back to the present. Embarrassed at their actions, they both sat down again.

"Potter, forget this conversation happened. I'll figure it out on my own, okay?"

Harry sighed and shook his head slowly. "Draco, I shouldn't have said any of that. But I just don't see how you think you can keep this from him."

"I don't intend to," Draco assured him. "Especially after knowing he's a werewolf. It's just, I don't know." He got up and walked to the kitchen. Harry knew he would be reaching for something stronger than the Butterbeer that lay spilled and ignored on the carpet next to the snap cards. Sure enough, the pureblood returned with a bottle of firewhiskey and two glasses.

"Harry. You can share these great stories of how heroic you are- savior of the Wizarding world and all that. What do I get to say? '_Hey Babe, I'm a wizard and a fucking murderer to boot, but I'm the only living member of the richest family in Europe, so it's all okay!' _"

He swallowed a mouthful of the amber liquid and reveled in the burn it left as it hit his throat. "He would find a way to break the imprint if I told him. Oh, and he wants to meet my parents. Imagine _that _conversation if you will. '_No, you can't meet Father. Why? Because he's a soul-less shell of a piece of shit, and Mother's half way to insanity in some Merlin forsaken prison!' _Harry, he would hate me. And I-" he stuttered, something that Harry had never heard him do. "-I can't lose him."

Draco rested his head in his hand, which he propped up at the elbow against his armchair. He pinched the bridge of his nose with those fingers, and closed his eyes in defeat while he sipped his drink. Harry heaved a sigh as he stood up. "I'm sorry, Draco. I really am."

He picked up the bottle of firewhiskey as he left. He would put it away in the kitchen on his way upstairs. At the entrance to the room, he spoke to Draco again. "If it matters, _I _don't think you would lose him. Be sure to get some sleep, mate. We're back to classes in the morning," and he exited the room.

He flipped the light switch, bathing the room in darkness as he left. The detonated snap cards were spread wildly across the table and floor, the shattered Butterbeer bottle near by. An equally broken teenager also remained, slumped silently in a chair.

******

When Harry woke in the morning, two textbooks were open on his desk and the window was wide open. Harry grinned. Edward had stayed the night again. He crossed the room to see what books had interested the vampire, and found his first year Charms text and also Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, by Newt Scamander. Atop the books was a note, written on a scrap of parchment in the ink of a ballpoint pen. Harry was intrigued by this simple blending of both wizard and muggle culture. The note was Edward's elegant script.

_Harrison,_

_Don't stress out. I will take care of you._

_Edward._

The Boy Who Lived had only a moment to admire the sweet message before his godson cried out for him from the nursery.

Edward relaxed into his black leather sofa as he waited for the time to tick slowly by. He was used to waiting. It had become easier over the last century; wait for the sun to go down, wait for the sun to come up, waiting between feedings. _Waiting _for _something _to fill that gap that he had been feeling since waking from an endless abyss of pain so many years ago. But now that gap had been pleasantly sealed with the arrival of Harry Potter. And now Edward had another 'wait' to add to his list. The torturous wait between the times he was with his green-eyed wizard. This wait was the most difficult he had ever faced.

The vampire smoothed the crisp shirt that he had just changed into, and glanced at his watch again. "Come in," he said quietly, as though speaking to himself. Alice, however, who was just approaching the door from the far end of the hall, heard the welcoming quite clearly and strode gracefully into the room.

"I see you're back," she began. "Gone for another run in the woods last night?" Edward grunted in response as he lifted his remote to the stereo. Music flooded the room. He was daydreaming, trying hard to ignore his sister, who was keeping him out of her thoughts by reciting Machiavelli's The Prince rapidly in Swedish. He had to smile. Alice, by far, was the most clever when distracting his talent. The others, (he could hear it now,) usually listed recipes, lyrics, or poetry, which he found rather boring after a while.

"How's Harry?"

"Fantastic," Edward blurted before double taking so quickly a human would have missed it.

"Edward, you didn't think we wouldn't _know?_" Alice spoke to him sweetly, coming to sit next to him on the couch.

"No," Edward spoke. "I knew you'd know- I just hoped…"

"Please give us some credit! I saw it before even you did- and well, we can smell him on you every time you try to sneak back in here."

"So you already knew I was attracted to him, and now you know I've actually got him, you all know _everything_?"

Alice giggled. "Well I'm quite sure that I do. But do _you _know?"

"If you are referring to that fact that my human mate is of the wizard variety, yes. I know."

Alice nodded, her smile bright and gleaming.

"And the others, do they-?"

Now she shook her head. "I didn't think it was my secret to tell."

For the first time in the conversation, Edward met her eye. "You're right. It isn't. Thank you."

Alice checked her watch. "Class starts in eight minutes."

Edward's eyebrows rose. "_Eight?!" _he exclaimed. "Jeez, Alice. That's like a millennium." he slouched back into the couch. His sister peered closely at him and he snapped his eyes to hers irritably. "What?"

"What is it like?" she urged. "Harry, Magic, all of it!"

Edward's eyes darted to the door and back. "Don't worry," Alice told him. "The family swore that this conversation would be private. They elected me to speak with you about sneaking out, and I made them swear to butt out."

Edward groaned theatrically. "About sneaking out? Honestly! They treat me like a teenager!" Alice giggled again, the sparkling laughter bouncing around the room.

"Go on then, Edward. Tell me everything!"

***

With three minutes to go before first period began, Edward's silver Volvo screamed into the student parking lot, splashed magnificently through a rapidly accumulating puddle, and swiftly slid into an available space next to two motorcycles.

The fashion in which the Cullens exited the car could have been comparable to that of clowns from a Buggy, if not for their elegance and fluidity. Harry, standing awkwardly next to his bike with a helmet under his arm, heaved a sigh of relief when Edward smoothly closed his door and faced him. The vampire's suave features broke into a crooked grin that made Harry's heart skip and speed up. He was mortified to know that Edward could hear it. Next to him, Harry saw Draco hike his bag up on his shoulder and wave to him before setting off to the building. Behind the blond, the Cullen siblings each made their way to the school, all glancing several times at the black haired wizard. Harry tried to smile, wondering if they knew of his relationship with their brother, and the forced smile flickered out.

Edward's voice, like liquid velvet spoke clearly above the easy tempo of rain that slowly soaked the two men. "Harrison, how many times must I ask you to relax and trust me?" He reached for Harry's hands and removed the black bike gloves that were a barrier between him and the wizard's warm flesh. He kissed the palm of one hand, and then held it in his own. They walked, rather quickly as the warning bell chimed, into the building and Harry dropped their clasped hands at the first sign of other students. Immediately Edward missed the warmth in his hand, but said nothing. He walked Harry to his class, but grabbed his wrist before he could enter.

"Harrison, listen to me." he murmured quietly. "I will take care of everything." Harry felt chilled fingers stoke through his wild and dripping black hair, but it happened so quickly he could have imagined it. Edward was gone.

Harry opened the door to his class and walked inside as the bell rang.

"Cutting it close, Mr. Potter," Mrs. Vicklind chastised briefly. "Welcome back, dear. It's good to see you." Harry nodded at her and took his seat amongst the twenty other rowdy teenagers. They were sitting backwards in their seats, perched on friend's desks, swapping stories of their four-day weekend.

Draco was sitting calmly at his desk reading what appeared to be the class assignment, but Harry was sure it was the book of Quileute legends that Jake had given him. The Gryffindor could sense the concealment charms around the Slytherin's desk, and was even more shocked when he noticed Draco's cell phone sitting innocently behind cover of the book. As he watched, the phone's screen flashed a slight blue glow, and the pureblood instantly had it open to receive a text message. The blond wizard smiled, typing back a quick response without hesitation, then put the phone down and went back to reading. Harry was amazed.

Alice Cullen was at her own desk, calmly scanning the room and merely watching the other students as though they were each a particularly interesting breed of animal at an exotic zoo. When she caught Harry's gaze, she smiled sweetly and winked before continuing her people watching. Her mannerisms happily reminded Harry of his good friend, Luna Lovegood.

Harry turned around when the teacher called the class to order. The wizard was already missing the company of his boyfriend.

***

As class progressed, Harry found himself listening with half an ear, frequently distracted by Draco's subtle texting. When the bell rang, he stood abruptly, only to be called back as he headed for the door.

"Malfoy and Potter, and Alice Cullen, please hold back for a moment please." the teacher requested. Harry groaned and spun around again, exchanging a confused glance with Draco. Alice though, as if expecting this confrontation, pulled a note from her bag and gave it to Mrs.V. The woman scanned the message, nodded, and with an "ah," ticked off something in her notebook.

"Thank you, Alice Dear. And please tell Dr. Cullen that I appreciate his contribution to making our community a healthier place. And I do hope Esme had a lovely time in Spain. You may go, Sweetheart."

Alice smiled and glided from the room. Draco raised an eyebrow at her retreating back, and the boys approached their instructor's desk. She removed her glasses and calmly folded them before speaking.

"Boys, the school has on file that the both of you have been legally emancipated due to personal circumstances, and I will respect this. But it has also come to our attention that you are being housed with several of-age companions through a program known as-" she checked a slip of paper for confirmation- "'Phoenix House.' Is this true?"

Harry answered her. "Yes ma'am. Is there a problem?"

Mrs. Vicklind smiled. "No, Dear. However the parent-teacher conferences held these past two days received no representative for the two of you. You young men are very fine gentlemen, but I am simply inquiring if there were an adult in your home that would be willing to meet with me. Just to discuss things academically."

Draco fidgeted, shaking his leg minutely, and Harry assumed he was receiving another text. The vibrating phone in his pocket was irritating the Slytherin. With his companion clearly not paying attention, Harry answered again.

"If you think it necessary, ma'am, I am sure you could speak to a fellow named Dedalus Diggle. He has been the house's primary caretaker, and watches Teddy each school day. I can assure you he is a responsible man to talk to."

Mrs. Vicklind nodded happily and made two ticks in her notebook. "Thank you, Dear. I will call to arrange a time." She wrote a pass for each of them and sent them on their way.

With neither of the wizards actually willing to move quickly to their next class, they detoured random hallways at a snail's pace to procrastinate. As the walked through the empty halls, Draco pulled out his phone and began to text again. Harry was mildly irritated by the desperately obsessed actions.

"You realize you are addicted to that thing, right?"

Draco ignored him.

"How is Jacob not getting caught? I doubt _he's _blended notice-me-not's and muffliato's around his desk."

Draco glared at him. "He said the desks at his school have a sort of tray built under to them keep their books. They don't switch classrooms, so they need a cubby for their stuff. He said it's a pain to fit his knees under, but handy to keep a phone."

The phone buzzed quietly as it vibrated again, and Draco flipped it open.

"I will kill him for teaching you to text. Our phone bill is coming out of the Malfoy vault this year," Harry grumbled.

He was waved off by the aristocrat.

The turned another corner, and Harry stopped walking. Draco, however, continued on until he walked into a yellow wall of muscle. He froze, gazing upwards to meet the bright blue eyes of Bill Weasley. As he made to hide the phone, Bill stopped him, and began to laugh.

"Wait- just wait! Freeze, Malfoy. Harry, come here and look at this."

Harry moved to the security guard's side, looking Draco up and down. The blond was leaning against the lockers that lined the wall. He wore a pair of dark blue jeans; tight, but not skinny jeans. His shirt fit him in a way that outlined his muscles, and _left his lower arms bare._ _"Hollister"_ was scrawled across the t-shirt in purposely-faded lettering, and it's dark fabric contrasted spectacularly with his white-blond hair, which was stylishly gelled into the perfect disarray. His left hand held a sidekick cell phone, the screen slipped sideways to reveal a keyboard for typing. His usual shined shoes, the ones that had been handmade specifically for his feet, had been swapped for a pair of black and white converse sneakers.

"What's he look like, Harry?" Bill gasped, and Harry had to laugh too.

"He looks like a bloody muggle," he admitted. The Chosen One was hit with a ton of bricks. "Bloody hell. Draco Malfoy has officially completed the muggle transformation. We have _got _to tell Kingsley."

Draco growled, and pointed across the hall. "If you don't get out of my sight and into that classroom in the next six seconds I will curse you back to England," he threatened.

Harry's tears of mirth ceased instantly, and he was gone immediately. Draco turned his glare on the eldest Weasley, who cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Erm, don't let me see the phone out again," he stated as he made a hasty departure.

Draco sighed and spoke aloud to no one before heading off to French class. _"Je suis entoure de idiots!"_

_***_

When he opened the door, the Slytherin was greeted with the blank stares of his peers, and met the teacher's expectant gaze. While fishing his pass from his pocket, he explained and apologized for his tardiness in rapid and fluent French. His classmates were blown away, and his teacher, finally, understood that her student could already speak the language. Draco raised an eyebrow at her shocked expression.

"_Malfoy,_ Madame?" he hinted.

_"Merlin, this woman is stupid. Can't even recognize a French surname."_ He took his seat, imperceptibly enchanting his privacy charms again. He then settled in with his buzzing phone to wait for the class to finish.

***

Harry fidgeted again, shifting his weight in the hard-backed chair while his teacher rambled. The clock showed eighteen minutes until lunch, and the Gryffindor's nerves had spiked again.

Should he take his usual seat? He would be at the same table as Mike and the rest, but ignored by most.

Or, he could change his routine, choosing to sit with Edward and his siblings. This option would inevitably draw attention to himself, however, which was unwarranted if he wanted to keep his relationship a secret.

Harry checked the clock again. Eleven minutes. Ten when the second hand would reach the third dash past the four. It was just passing the six now.

Suddenly, Harry's hand was in the air. Without waiting to be called on, he interrupted. "Excuse me, Sir. Please, I really need the loo. -The bathroom," he changed his words when students snickered. At the teacher's nod he packed his books, shouldered his bag, and bolted for the door.

He was halfway down the hall when a cold hand grabbed his wrist and pulled him back. Harry spun quickly, his heart hammering and only calming when he recognized Edward. He heaved a relieved breath. Edward brushed the hair off his forehead, which was damp with a sudden cold sweat.

"Why are you worried, Harry?" he asked him. The savior only closed his eyes and reveled in the touch that he had missed all morning. The vampire sighed and entwined one of Harry's hands with his own, leading the wizard through the halls toward the lunchroom.

"I have told you that I would take care of this. Why do you still doubt me?" Edward continued to talk, effectively interrupting Harry's denial.

"Listen. I have heard of the analogy to removing a band-aid. When you are apprehensive, gentle in peeling back the thing, the skin stings longer and harder than if you were to swiftly tug it off in one go. In which case, the skin is stung for a millisecond of shock, leaving no lingering pain."

He watched Harry's face for a response.

"I don't understand," the wizard finally admitted.

"I though you might not," Edward nodded once. "You see, Harrison. I don't plan to gently peel our relationship out of the shadows. I am not ashamed of it, and you shouldn't be either. It seems it would be better for everyone, if we went with the quick and upfront method."

Harry swallowed. "How so?"

The two stopped walking. They were now in the main hallway, standing opposite the cafeteria doors. The vampire cocked his head slightly to the left, as if his sensitive ears had just detected a sound that the wizard had not.

"I find a visual aid to be _very _helpful when one wants to get his message across."

With that, he pushed Harry backward into a shallow alcove between two rows of lockers. In an instant he had wedged his right knee between Harry's legs, leaned forward until his groin was pressed firmly into Harry's hip, and caught the wizard in a searing lip lock. As Edward moved his left hand up to brace against the wall beside Harry's head, the bell rang.

It was this piercing, metallic sound that bounced through the school corridors and signaled the student body to spill out of their classrooms. The buzz of conversation that streamed from the mouths of adolescents drowned the hall in a mix of unintelligible noise, which was easily ignored by the couple in the alcove.

The fingers of Edward's right hand tugged at the black hair that reached the back of Harry's neck. He eagerly tasted Harry's sweet flavor on his tongue, and applauded himself when he felt the wizard shiver. He didn't know if it was out of pleasure, or the thrill of what they were doing, or simply because his fingers were cold, but Edward decided he would believe it was a bit of all three. He felt Harry's hands clasp behind his lower back, but try as he might to solely concentrate on the beautiful young man who was kissing him, the vampire could not help but remain somewhat in tune to the other students that had yet to notice their blatant display. He raked his fingers once more, gently stroking Harry's skin again.

This time, a violent clap of thunder from above and an abrupt crescendo of rainfall splashing pavement outside accompanied the wizard's shudder. Harry, along with the rest of the students in the hall, jumped slightly, and the passionate embrace was jarred momentarily. The vampire only smiled at his boyfriend, watching his chest heave twice before reclaiming his lips- mindful that by now they had gained the attention of a significant amount of teens in the vicinity.

Gasps and catcalls went up around them, attracting the awareness of those who had not yet seen. And as the duo became the center of attention in the busy hall, Harry only tightened his hold around Edward's waist, pulling him more firmly against him and trying to ignore their surroundings.

***

With the keen combination of text messaging, camera phones, and the chains of gossip that only high-schoolersseem to possess, the story that Edward Cullen and Harry Potter were making out in the hall was being heard school-wide in a matter of seconds. As a matter of fact, it couldn't have been more than two minutes since the bell had first rang. Edward was grinning a satisfied smirk against Harry's mouth before they were suddenly forced apart by a sharp reprimand.

"Misters Potter and Cullen!" A female voice called at them. While Edward sprang back swallowing hard, Harry leaned against the wall, panting, and used the back knuckle of his thumb to wipe his mouth. Mrs. Vicklind approached the couple, her hands waving in a flustered manner about her. Student on-lookers quickly dispersed, rushing ahead to class or ducking into the cafeteria. Each of them was speaking a mile a minute at what they had just seen. Harry looked at Edward from the corner of his eye as the teacher stuttered an attempt to admonish them. However, she seemed quite overcome by surprise, and instead came out with, "Please accompany me to the principal's office, boys." She turned on her heel and beckoned them to follow. The young men hesitated for a second to place a distance between themselves and the teacher, then began to converse in hushed tones. They pointedly ignored Mrs. Vicklind's rambles about how she and her husband had once discussed their son's sexuality, until he returned home one day with a shy but pretty girl on his arm.

"Well, that went spectacularly, don't you think?" Harry hissed at his boyfriend. Sarcasm dripped from his words, but Edward was walking with a spring in his step.

"Spectacular! That's just what I was thinking too."

"Edward!" The hero snapped. "Listen, please. What is going to happen now?"

They looked at each other, and Harry noticed how dangerously dark the vampire's eyes had become since even the minutes before. Then Edward spoke. "I have no idea. But _she,_" he indicated the prattling woman ahead of them, "thinks that we will need a talk with our parents. Except, she's not sure what should be done about you."

"Brilliant," Harry groaned.

Edward chuckled a bit, and Harry raised an eyebrow.

"Emmett's entertained. He and the others just got word- they think it was a good plan."

Harry paused, dumbfounded, before walking again. "First of all, I have no idea how your plan solved anything other than just putting us out there. But right now I am only wondering what's going to happen with this parent, guardian thing."

Edward looked up at the instructor again. "I really don't know," he admitted. "But don't stress over it. I bet Carlisle will be pleased. A Cullen has never been sent to the principal before, unless we were receiving an award. He will probably enjoy playing a concerned parent instead of a proud one for once. And I'm quite sure he will be happy for us."

The crew stopped walking, and their guide motioned them through an open door that Harry recognized as the main office. Mrs. Vicklind then followed them in and pointed to a set of black, hard-plastic chairs.

"Sit, please. I am going to have a word with Mr. Gordon before you see him." She disappeared through another door, closing it behind her with a 'click'.  
Harry and Edward sat down silently.  
The secretary at the desk behind a tall counter-top eyed them over her spectacles, clearly curious to know what had warranted their visit to the office.  
They payed her no mind.  
Harry turned to his boyfriend. "Don't you just _wish _we knew what they were talking about in there?" he asked pointedly.

The vampire nodded, showing he understood. He then relaxed into his seat and allowed himself to focus intently on the two educators conversing behind the heavy wooden door.

* * *

**NOTE:**Hey there. I hope you liked it! Please review and let me know what you think. Okay, notes you should know. I have NO idea how Exploding Snap would be played, so I just made up stuff. Sorry if it doesn't make sense. It's not necessarily supposed to. Also- Draco's line in French came from an online translator. It's supposed to say "I am surrounded by idiots." But I don't know if it's accurate. Also please note that the reason for the boys being sent to the office is not because they are gay. Schools are not allowed to show such prejudice as that. All will be explained in the upcoming chapter.

About this delay. My Grandfather passed away on August 19th. Immediately my family was packed and traveling so that we could be there for the funeral and such. We then spent several days with relatives so we could just be together. For those of you that have already experienced such a situation, I toast you- because I had never experienced a death before, and it was incredibly difficult. Especially because he was sick and suffering, so we were partly relieved, partly upset. well- it was just confusing to say the least.

Thanks for your patience. I hope the next chapter won't take so long, but I am not going to leave any promises. Just know that I will always be updating until the story is done.


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: **So sorry for the long wait! Message for you at the end of the chapter. Remember, I don't own anything here. **WARNING: SLASH. BRIEF FOUL LANGUAGE. ALSO- DO NOT READ THE END OF THIS CHAPTER IF BLOOD BOTHERS YOU.**

* * *

"Ah, Nancy. How can I help you?"

Nancy Vicklind took a seat in front of the principal's desk, crossed one knee over the other and folder her hands in her lap.

"Mr. Gordon," she told the man of nearly half her age. "I have two students sitting just outside your door, awaiting punishment for blatantly breaking the school's code of conduct, With Forks High having a relatively small populations, I am sure you will agree that unconcealed and deliberate public displays of affection will not be tolerated in our school's hallways."

Mr. Gordon pinched the bridge of his nose. "PDA, Nancy? You don't think it's a bit extreme to reprimand hormonal teenagers for PDA in highschool?"

"No, I do not!" The woman defended strongly.

"Call me old-fashioned, Benjamin, but I do believe that such actions should be reserved for private locations."

The principal rested his elbows on his desk and pressed the tips of his fingers together. "You cannot keep all the couples in this school from kissing one another, Nancy. There are far too many--

"Kissing!" the flustered teacher interrupted. "If that's what you can call it! With scarcely a hair's breadth between the two. Benjamin Gordon, if _my _son were placing himself in such suggestive circumstances, I would want to know. These students are upperclassmen, setting a horrendous example for our younger pupils."

"Mrs. Vicklind, do not lecture me. Please remember that I am the principal here," the man warned. Nancy smoothed her skirt. "Of course, I can only remember you as a little boy, Benny," she began.

"Yes yes, so what do you want from me in this situation?"

"I want for you to bring their parents here, to ensure that they know what their children are getting up to while away from home. Dr. Cullen can be reached at the hospital. He always makes time for his youngest boy. And as far as Harry Potter is concerned, just this morning he gave me the name of a responsible adult with whom he is currently residing."

The principal snorted very unprofessionally. "The two you brought here are Edward Cullen and Harry Potter?"

Mrs. Vicklind nodded once, and Mr. Gordon let out a burst of laughter in a puff of air through his nose. "Well _done, _Edward." he muttered.

He looked up at the overbearing woman. "Very well, Nancy. I will have it taken care of. Why don't you get some lunch at the Teacher's Cafeteria? You have twenty minutes before the period ends."

He rolled out the keyboard under his desk and began typing, calling up the contact cards for the couple waiting outside his office. Nancy rose from her seat and left the room, closing the door behind her. To her surprise, the hard plastic seats in the main office we unoccupied.

"Rita," she called to the secretary. "Where are the two boys I left here?"

Rita looked up from her computer screen. "That new security guard, Bill, took 'em into the hall a few minutes ago. He said he wanted to speak with them privately, and would have them back soon."

The teacher thanked her and left the office. Just outside the door, Edward and Harry were standing against the wall, speaking quietly to the redheaded security guard. Their conversation stopped abruptly as she emerged though, so she merely nodded politely at them and made her way to the lunchroom.

***

Harry had been watching Edward's relaxed face for about five minutes when the office door opened, disrupting the stillness of the room. He leaned around a wall to see who it was, and his eyes widened at the sight of Bill Weasely. He blushed, only just realizing that at least one member of his guard had to have witnessed his display with Edward, and by now nearly all of them had probably heard of it. Bill approached them, his dragon-hide boots slapping menacingly against the tile floor. "I need to talk to you both. Now." He looked over at the secretary. "I'll have them back after a chat." She smiled at him and allowed them to leave.

Once outside the office, Bill threw up several seeking spells to see if anyone was within listening distance. Harry was mortified to see recognize only Viktor, but also the two elite aurors that he did not know briefly appear in the hall before disappearing again. They were monitoring the school, keeping an eye out for threats and ready to provide a warning should anyone approach. When the short flash of men had evaporated, Edward was shocked to have seen them. Harry held his hand.

"Did I mention that there's a team of guards watching me _everywhere_ I go?"

"No," Edward whispered.

"Oh," Harry said. "Edward?"

"Hm?"

"There's a secret team of guards, watching me everywhere I go."

The vampire snorted and squeezed his hand gently. "Thanks," he chuckled.

"Enough," Bill cut in. "Do you have an explanation for what you have gotten yourself into, Harry?"

"This was all my idea, Mr. Weasley." Edward told him. "I told Harry that I would make our relationship public, and I have done so. He didn't know how I was going to accomplish the task."

Bill listened to the vampire, only interrupting to request that he _Call him Bill, for Merlin's sake_, and sighed when he finished.

"Fine then. But why are they making you wait in this office?"

"Edward was figuring that out when you brought us here," Harry said.

Bill watched as the bronze haired teen bent his head and whispered something into Harry's ear. The wizard's pleasured shiver at his boyfriend's lips on his ear gave him the look of one doused in ice water. Edward apologized aloud. At that moment, the office door opened and Mrs. Vicklind stepped into the hall. She acknowledged the three pairs of eyes that stared at her silently before shuffling away.

When her shoes could no longer be heard against the tile floor, Harry spoke again. "They will probably set up a parent meeting. Do me a favor and contact Dedalus. Tell him that the school might ask him to come- I gave that woman his muggle line this morning."

"Sure," Bill agreed. "I'll go there now." He waved a hand toward the office. "You two should go back in."

As the couple turned, Harry caught Bill's arm. "Oh, and make sure his is _dressed appropriately,"_ he stressed.

"Sure thing. But you," he addressed Edward. "No more of this in public. Harry's my little brother, got it? And he's got plenty more older than you back home." Edward nodded seriously, but Harry had to fight back a grin. None of the Weasley brothers were older, or stronger than Edward.

Harry and Edward entered the office and closed the door behind them. A soft 'crack' sounded from the hall. It could have been taken for a dropped notebook, but The Boy Who Lived knew better.

The secretary looked up at the sound. "You two go right in," she said sweetly, and then returned to her typing. Edward opened the thick door, swung it wide and held it there with one arm for Harry to go through first. The wizard ducked under the arm and Edward followed just a half step behind.

Benjamin Gordon folded his arms low on his chest and observed the couple in front of him. They sat carefully in the two seats and the shorter of the two glanced around awkwardly. Edward was visibly more relaxed, having befriended the principal two years previously. Mr. Gordon took a breath, and then began his "discipline speech."

"Boys, know first that I am not here to judge you, nor are you in any serious trouble. It is only my job to make you aware of the circumstances that brought you here. We follow a strict code of conduct here at Forks high, and I must admit that I am surprised to hear of you, Mr. Cullen, breaking it."

"I'm sorry, Sir." The vampire responded respectfully. "It was not my intention to do any harm, or to set a negative example for my younger classmates." Mr. Gordon raised an eyebrow at the apology. "From what I heard, you certainly weren't harming anyone, Edward." he winked quickly at his prized student and Harry blushed deeply. The principal gave a short laugh and then spoke again. "I do not know you very well, Harry Potter, but Edward, since I first had you in my office two years ago I knew you were a special student. I have feared though, that you might spend too much time on your studies and not enough on being a teenager. I thought you might grow out of it, but you haven't changed a bit."

Harry smirked.

"I am happy to see that you have found what you need. However, I must, according to policy, notify the parents of those involved in a violation of these rules. Esme was not in town, I heard, so Dr. Cullen has been paged. Your father will be here momentarily, Edward. As for Harry, I was given a contact number for Mr. Diggle?"

Harry nodded.

"Yes well, I called him not a second before you walked in. There must have been a bad connection. I think he might not have heard me clearly, because he nearly shouted my ear off, but he _did _say something like 'being here before I could say hippogriff.' " Benjamin chuckled. "Phone companies are getting lazy."

Harry grunted an agreement.

The principal watched the students. Neither of them looked back at him.

"Well then," he said. "Make yourselves comfortable while we wait. I have some work to do. Please stay here while I go run off some copies."

"Sure," Edward and Harry said in unison. He smiled at them, stood from his desk and left the office with a thick folder under his arm. As soon as he was gone, Edward spoke.

"Dedalus can't use a telephone, can he?" he guessed, and Harry broke into laughter. "Not at all." The wizard's stomach gurgled audibly, voicing his hunger.

"You should eat," Edward told him. Harry reached into his book bag and pulled out his bagged lunch. Looking into his boyfriend's eyes he responded, "You should too," but Edward waved him off. "I'll go hunting on the weekend up in the north woods with Jasper." Harry bit into his sandwich. It was steaming gently, as though the bread had just been toasted seconds before.

"Are you sure?" he asked. Harry gestured to his own eyes. "You're getting pretty dark. Will you hold out until Saturday?"

"I want to stay with you." the vampire insisted. "I can wait."

Harry huffed and continued to eat. He watched interestedly as Edward searched through the contents of his lunch. "Could you eat food, if you wanted to?" he asked the vampire. Edward grinned crookedly at him "Could you eat dirt, if you wanted to?" He popped something into his mouth, chewed it mechanically and awkwardly swallowed it down. "It tastes like mud," he said.

Putting aside an apple, Harry took the box from him. "These are called Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans. Regardless of what you taste, it is quite possible that it _was _mud flavor. Draco loves them."

Edward eyed the box incredulously. "Why?"

Harry shrugged. "Dunno. Maybe he likes to guess what each is before eating them."

"Is all Wizarding candy this odd?"

"Not all of it. But you should be careful. My friends were responsible for making sweets called Fainting Fancies and Canary Creams. They are interesting, to say the least. There's also…" he trailed off, thinking. "There may even be something for you. One day I might show you."

Edward smiled. "Thanks."

They spent a while, eating and chatting. A door opening and the cry of a small child suddenly interrupted them. Immediately Harry was on his feet and out of the principal's office. Edward stood and followed at a more sedate pace. Harry was holding Teddy against his hip, allowing his knuckle to be drawn into his godson's mouth without complaint. The man that Edward recognized as Dedalus was wearing a pair of dark jeans and a sunshine yellow button down shirt. He and Harry were talking quietly, and Dedalus seemed delighted to be there. After a moment the elder wizard sat, fiddled with his collar and pulled at his cuffs uncomfortably. Harry, talking nonsensically to Teddy, walked back to Edward's side. Edward looked at the child, who grinned back at him. When Teddy's hair shifted from brown to bronze, Harry gasped.  
"Diggle!" he admonished. He turned his back on the secretary, who hadn't looked up from her desk, and shielded Teddy from view. He then reached into his bag and pulled out a cap that Edward was sure hadn't been there the whole time.

"Sorry, Harry. We ran out of that formula last week. You'll have to get more somehow. We can discuss it later." The wizard nodded. He smoothed the snug cap on his godson's head and kissed him gently. At that time, two sets of footsteps entered the office.

"Thank you for coming here on your lunch break, Carlisle."

"It's no problem, Ben. I don't usually eat much at this time anyway. I'm always available for my children. Now, what has Edward done?"

The door closed behind the men, and the secretary looked up. She seemed suddenly flustered and patted her hair as she stood.

"Hello, Dr. Cullen! It's good to see you again."

The doctor was a tall man with soft blond hair that rivaled Draco's in paleness. He had a roman nose, a flawless complexion, and gorgeous honey-golden eyes. Despite his 'adoption,' Edward did resemble his father in small ways. You could recognize them if you looked, which was what Harry did. When Carlisle nodded and smiled politely toward her, the secretary made to sit down again. She fumbled foolishly as she felt behind her for the chair that had rolled back several feet. Her eyes locked desperately on the elder vampire's, she located the seat and planted herself in it blushing furiously. To save his secretary any further embarrassment, Principal Gordon ushered his two students and their guardians into his office. Teddy squeaked happily as Harry swung him gently over his shoulder, and Edward tweaked his nose. The boys reclaimed their seats inside the office, and Harry transferred his godson to his lap, where the boy happily chewed the knuckled in his mouth. Dedalus, watching the doctor, took up stance behind Harry and placed his hands on his savior's shoulders as Carlisle did the same to Edward.

Mr. Gordon sat with a sigh and then spoke. "So, which of you would like to explain why your guardians were called here?"  
The two looked at each other, but Harry only raised an eyebrow and became suddenly fascinated with the snaps of Teddy's outfit. Edward took this as an invitation to speak.

"Carlisle, according to the school's code of conduct, Harry and I were engaged in inappropriate activity within the view of our peers. You were called here to ensure that you know of the relationship between Harry and myself."

Carlisle frowned at the term 'inappropriate activity' and when his son was finished, only replied, "I see."

He then made eye contact with the forever-teen, which he did not break for a few moments, and then shifted his attention to the black haired wizard, who was attempting to remain invisible behind the small child on his lap.

"Hello, you must be Harry." The doctor offered his hand to him. "I have been hearing of you from my wife, and Alice, and Edward, of course." Harry blushed. He shook Carlisle's with the hand that wasn't occupying Teddy's sore gums. "Yes, Sir. It's a pleasure to meet you. This is Dedalus Diggle, the guardian staying in my home, and this is Teddy Lupin, my godson." With introductions made, Carlisle began a conversation.

"Mr. Gordon, thank you for notifying me of my son's actions. I can assure you that I will be speaking to him. However, I believe that such a conversation should be private, do you agree?"

"Of course, Dr. Cullen."

Then the principal looked over to Dedalus, who was eying the fax machine in the far corner of the room. As he watched, the thing beeped, flashed a green light, and made a buzzing sound.

"Mr. Diggle, are you with us? Is there something wrong with my fax?"

"Ah, No, sir." Harry interrupted. "It's just, our machine broke recently, and I think Dedalus is just curious about the brand name on this one. Is it of good quality?" he swiftly lied.

"It is a Canon, Mr. Diggle. It is quite reliable, and not overpriced. I would recommend it, but please tell me if you understand the situation here?"

Dedalus turned a slightly disapproving gaze on Harry.  
"Yes, I understand. I admit I was not aware that Harry's relationship was becoming quite so _serious. _He is usually a rather private person. I will be talking to him personally at home as well. Will the boys be punished for their actions? You know Albus always said that love--"  
Harry suddenly was overcome by a coughing fit, and he passed Teddy to Edward when Dedalus thwacked him solidly on the back. Eyes watering, Harry cleared his throat and thanked Dedalus through clenched teeth. "No problem at all, boy." the elder said.

Carlisle was watching in fascination as Harry's godson, the werewolf's boy, sat on his son's knees and happily played with his cold fingers. The child, with his nose wrinkled seemingly in curiosity, examined the large hands that held him tenderly.

"Well," Harry said. "I guess it's been decided that we will be talking privately. May we return to our classes?"

Dedalus scooped up Remus' son from Edward's lap and held him on his hip.

"I suppose so," Mr. Gordon told him. "Let's just try to keep the PDA to a minimum, please.

"Of course," Edward assured him. "I see now that it was an inappropriate course of action for making a statement."

The principal laughed.  
"Thank you. You are dismissed." The couple and their families emerged from the office and had made it into the hallway when the bell rang for the next block of classes. Before he could leave, Harry caught Carlisle by his crisp white shirtsleeve. "Dr. Cullen. I think we should have a talk soon."

The vampire's eyes darted almost imperceptibly to his son, who nodded with a short jerk of his head.  
"Of course. Edward will come for you at 5 tonight. I will be home at six, and we can all chat then." He checked his watch. "It was nice meeting you," he told Harry and Dedalus. "If only it had been under better circumstances." He turned to Edward. _"Think,_ Edward. _Behave," _he said in a tone that didn't seem to fit his calm demeanor. He extended his hand to Dedalus. "Until next time."

And then he was off down the hall, weaving between a few students who were running late to class.

"Oh," Dedalus commented. "I have never understood this thing with healers and cold hands!"

Edward smirked, and Harry kissed his godson goodbye.  
"By the way, Diggle. You _suck _at blending in."  
The excitable man snorted and with that farewell he took a different path toward the exit of the building.

Harry sighed heavily and leaned into Edward's side. The vampire brushed his fingers through his hair and caressed the side of his face. "So, something less blatant from now on?" he asked, and Harry smiled. Edward dropped his hand and linked it comfortably with Harry's. The wizard adjusted the bag on his shoulder and the two set off to biology together.

***

Harry didn't talk to anyone that day until he and Draco walked into the boy's locker room, where, to their surprise, the young men in their class were changing their clothes at their lockers, as they had before Harry's orientation was made known.

"Does this make sense to you?" Harry asked the Slytherin. Draco shrugged, and the two picked their way through the mass of half clothed students, who paid them no mind. There was no note posted on Harry's bland metal locker. He could not understand this change in his classmate's behavior. Finally, Mike Newton approached the wizards as they were opening their combination locks.

"We figured we don't have to avoid you now that you're with Cullen," he explained as he tied the drawstring on his blue shorts. "I know you're not looking for a glimpse at me, so I'm not gunna change in those stalls anymore. They smell like sweat and shit. It's disgusting."

Harry pulled his shirt over his head. "So you endured sweat and shit for over a month instead of changing near me," he sneered.

Mike drummed his fingers on the locker. "Now _that _makes me sound like a jerk."

"You _are_ a jerk," Harry informed him. "If you were anything more, you would have known that I was never looking for a glimpse of you."

"As if he has anything to offer," Draco drawled. "Get lost, Newton. You've made a fool of yourself, and there's no going back."

Mike looked shocked, as though he actually expected Harry to be okay with this situation. Then, he looked angry.

"Whatever, Man. Enjoy your Cullen, he's a freak. Just don't go feeling each other up in public."

"Don't worry," a calm voice spoke. Edward stepped up behind Harry and wrapped his arms around the wizard's waist. Harry rested his hands atop Edward's. "I'll make sure you won't have to witness too much."

Harry smirked at the look on Mike's face.

"See you in gym," was the only thing he said. Then Harry, Draco, and Edward left the locker room.

That day, gym became a little easier to endure. With the exception of Mike, the boys in the class were including Harry on their teams, and none had anything negative to say to him. The Gryffindor didn't care if they felt threatened by Edward, of if they had finally realized that mike was wrong. He was satisfied just to get through a game of volleyball without being called Faggot.  
Draco, interestingly, was really coming into his element in muggle sports. Though their first attempt at soccer had been disastrous, ("Why the hell would you kick it? Why don't you throw it?") he had become an adequate defender in the game and could now play an impressive center in basketball.

***

Draco jogged ahead to their bikes as the wizards walked to the parking lot. Harry trailed further behind, walking beside Edward.

"Rosalie is not happy with me," the vampire confided as they spotted his siblings across the lot.

"No," Harry disagreed. "She's not happy with _me_."

Edward wouldn't lie to him. "Yes," he nodded hesitantly. "But I am hopeful that she will come around."

"What makes you think so?" Harry asked as he pulled on his gloves.

"She thinks of you as a threat to us, but at the same time, she is afraid for you. Rosalie wouldn't want you to become like us." Harry disregarded the second part of that explanation.  
"She thinks I'm dangerous? Do they-  
"They don't know of your talents. Well, Alice does. She thinks it's fascinating. Apparently you will be over tonight though. You should probably explain it all then."

"Sure," Harry agreed.

"I've got to go," Edward mumbled. "I will pick you up at five." The vampire kissed his forehead and pulled the helmet over Harry's raven hair. When Harry flipped down the visor, Edward was already on the opposite end of the pavement, standing next to Rosalie's car as though in conversation with the driver.

Harry approached his motorcycle, acknowledging Draco beside him, who was already astride his own bike, engine rumbling deeply. "I'm going ahead," he called loudly to be heard. "I will be meeting Jacob in an hour."

The Gryffindor nodded and watched as his blond friend sped off.

What happened next occurred so suddenly that Harry would only recall flashes of the incident in time to come. He secured his pack, straddled his seat, and kicked the bike to life. He flexed his fingers lightly and spun out of his parking space. He could hear the roar of his bike heavy in his ears, only muffled in a deep way by the cover of his helmet. His view flickered between the road and his hands, monitoring his surroundings and the control on his vehicle as he always did while driving. He was about two miles from the school when it happened.  
The shriek of rubber on pavement assaulted his ears from the lane on his right as he crossed through an intersection. On instinct, he turned to the sound and watched a large van swerve dangerously, it's tires locked firmly to avoid the flash of red that cut it off. Said blur of red careened past the van. Harry's vision flashed the image of his hands clenching desperately at the grips. He pulled sharply to his left and felt the ground disappear from beneath him as the red vehicle impacted the front of this bike solidly from the side. When it jerked violently, Harry felt his arm snap cleanly, and he abandoned his firm grip. The wizard thought fleetingly of the wand attached to his arm as the sound of crunching metal and horrified shouts filled the air. He felt weightless then, and, with the rushing picture of blurred cars and quickly approaching pavement, he shut his eyes and the world erupted in a burst of raw pain.

********

"What, Rosalie?" Edward sighed when he reached her car.

"I can't believe you invited him over. You are so irresponsible, Edward!"

Edward leaned forward and braced his hands on the roof of her car. At that angle he could see each of his siblings piled into the red convertible, and he growled angrily at her.

"Do not treat me like a child. And I didn't even invite him. Carlisle did."

Rosalie hissed, her eyes flashing angrily.  
"Am I the only sane one in this thing you call a family?"  
Emmett grabbed her hand where it clutched the dashboard and he tried to calm her down. The blond ignored him.

"You can _run _home, Edward. I don't want to deal with you right now."

"Whatever." Edward jumped back as the car sped out from his grasp. He winced when he saw her jump in front of the line of cars and zip off down the street. He hoped Emmett would calm his obnoxious wife down before she did something reckless. The vampire tucked his frozen hands deep into his pockets and set off at a casual pace, not ready to sprint until he was safe under the cover of the woods. He felt Alice brush his mind. He tried to ignore her. He didn't want to listen to useless apologies unless they came from Rosalie herself. Then, Alice's presence exploded desperately in his mind.

"Edward! Run! To the main intersection just past the village- get there now!"

He quickened his pace, just beyond the rate of a human jog. He cursed the line of cars that belonged to his teachers and peers, which made it impossible for him to sprint. He felt Alice's stab of panic followed immediately by overwhelming dread and urgency.

"Edward!" he heard her calling in his head.  
"It's going to be Harry!"

Edward's muscles seized in fear at the tone of her 'voice', and he refused to listen to any more. He approached the place where the woods met the side of the road and ducked swiftly into the thick brush. Mere steps inward, when he could no longer see the sidewalk, he set off at a dead sprint, parallel to the road in the direction of the intersection Alice told him. When the trees began to thin ahead of him, Edward's ears recognized that traffic was stopped on the street. He did not allow himself to touch the mind of his siblings, or the drivers on the road. His own thoughts flipped rapidly between whatever possible scenarios could have occurred. Then, as swiftly as though he had been hunting, he dodged to the right, reached out with his left hand, and grabbed a fierce hold on what he caught. He skidded to a stop and stood face to face with Emmett. Next to his bear-like brother was Jasper, who was twitching frantically. A short step back in the direction they had come from, then back into place. It was then that Edward noticed how dark their eyes were.

"Edward," Emmett began in a very uncharacteristically serious tone. "I am _so _sorry. Keep going, ahead through there," he pointed to the edge of the woods. "The girls are still there, but I've got to get Jasper home." He patted Edward's shoulder, and Edward dashed the last distance to the road. When he stepped out onto the cracked sidewalk, he noted the clouds had thickened and it began to drizzle. He walked, forcing himself to remain calm, and made his way to the front of the cluster of unmoving cars. It was unnaturally quiet. He spotted the red of Rosalie's car up ahead. It stood out against the surrounding bland colored vehicles. Rosalie and Alice stood incredibly close to one another at the rear of their car. Alice was on her phone. They appeared to be avoiding the sight of the front of the convertible. Edward's glimpse at his watch told him it had been less than four minutes since Alice's frantic call for him.

But where was Harry?

Edward picked up the sound of sirens approaching from across town and quickened his step. He rounded the hood of a large blue can and recognized Tyler Crowley at the wheel, staring blankly through his windshield in frozen shock. In seconds, Edward's senses were assaulted by the brutal scent of fresh blood- and a lot of it. He could hear it being pumped frantically from a desperate source, but could smell it puddling sickeningly at a place where it became contaminated. The falling rain was diluting its sweet scent rapidly. Instantly, the vampire knew it was Harry's blood. The forbidden scent that taunted him, now being spilt generously against the street. Edward swallowed hard, disgusted by the rush of venom against his throat, and, opening his coal black eyes, he identified Harry's motorbike lying bent at it's middle. The front tire was securely pinned beneath the hood of Rosalie's damaged car. Edward approached the scene in a daze. About six feet from the crushed bike, a smear of blood decorated the street. It ran in rivulets through the cracks in the pavement, thinned from the rainwater. Small pebbles and fragments of pavement were dyed red as the sweet substance coated them. Amidst the pooled red liquid, bits of matter and a scrap of cloth scraped against a scattered length of another four feet before finally reaching the place where Harry's still body lay.

Edward swallowed hard again.

"Harrison,"

* * *

**NOTE: Hey there! Sorry I don't have an actual excuse for waiting so long to post. Honestly, I just got lazy. I have continued to write, but I haven't made the time to actually type.  
Update on my life: Family's coping with the loss of Grandpa. We will be visiting with Grandma for Thanksgiving, and though it will probably be a difficult week, I am looking forward to it.  
My mom finished radiation treatments on September 10th, and recently had another PET scan. While the results show the treated area is now clean, a new area in the upper right abdomen is now infected with a cancer. She is still awaiting word from the doctors to see what will be done.**

**SO! About the story- I hope you liked this chapter. Poor Harry!! I was just wondering. If anyone would ever like to make a drawing of anything from my story and submit it to me, I would LOVE to see it ans share it with everyone. Draw whatever you would like, and I will check it out! Send me a message and let me know.**

**Thanks so much for everything!!!  
_darkestAngel13**


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: Hello Lovely Friends! **I am pleased that, amidst my work and hectic lifestyle, I still found time to type! That wasn't _too _long, I think.  
**PLEASE NOTE That I have make a bit of a change. The day here in the story is Monday, November 23rd. You know how Harry and the others haven't been in school for a while? Well, let's just say it was Thanksgiving holiday. I know that it might not all work out exactly, but hey- it's just a story. I needed some more time to have passed. So now it's the end of November, and Harry has been in Forks for 3 months.  
**That being said, I hope you enjoy this chapter. And please don't kill me when you reach the end. hehehe, now you're all worried, aren't you? Remember, I don't own anything :)

* * *

The bronze haired vampire fought mentally with himself- half of him desperate to reach Harry, the other half demanding an explanation. Finally, he painfully tore his gaze from the wizard's prone form, and approached his sisters. To his shock, Rosalie threw her arms around his neck. He was sure, had she been human, that she would be in tears.

"I never meant to hurt him!" she pleaded. "I swear it was an accident, Edward, Please believe me!"  
He separated himself from her. "Alice, what happened?"  
She opened her mind to his.

_"I had a vision, about two blocks down the road. I saw Rosalie's car impacting…something. I'm sorry, I never saw it would be Harry, or even a person, until just before it happened."_

__

_"Rosalie was upset. She ran the red light just after it turned, and we almost his Tyler's van when he was going the other way."_  
Edward noted how the large blue van was spun vertically in the center of the intersection; just a few yards back from Harry's bike and Rosalie's car.  
_"Well, he swerved, and we did too, but the van blocked the view of what was on the other side of it. So, when we went around Tyler, Harry's motorcycle just came out of nowhere. He tried to turn away but the car hit his front. It spun him and, and threw him off. He- he, skidded for a bit…"_

"It's not your fault," he said aloud. But he waited for more information.

Edward closed her off when her mind began to replay the awful images. "Edward," she asked him. "Do you think he's okay?"

The vampire's first answer was yes. He could remember how easily Harry had mended his burns. But then the memory of the wall of obituaries of dead witches and wizards, gave him a horrible jolt.

Wizards were still human. They were not indestructible- _Harry, _was not indestructible. He took a deep breath and looked away, unable to look Alice in the eye. He could see the first wave of first responders approaching the street, lights flashing madly.

"I hope so," he told her.

As he continued to watch EMTs approach, they suddenly stopped. Then, after a moment, the emergency vehicles turned and went off in the direction they had just come from.

"What the hell is going on?" he exploded. But when he faced the main intersection again, gasps went up around him as roughly fifteen men suddenly materialized on the scene. Two of these approached Harry and knelt beside him, the fabric of their long robes becoming ruined as they soaked in blood and murky rainwater. The others made their way to each car, pointing their wands at every witness and muttering some gibberish. Rose seemed horribly confused, Alice mildly intrigued. Edward recognized several of the men from that night, and apparently they recognized him as well. Amidst the chaos, the duck-footed man that they first met at the mall came up to him.

"Vere is Draco?" he demanded.  
"He should be home," Edward told him. "We went ahead of-- is Harry going to be okay? Can you fix him?"  
The foreign wizard lowered his voice.  
"You know off our vorld, yes?"  
"Yes," Edward whispered.  
"You know about the var?"  
"Yes."  
"Then you know that Harry Potter does not stop fighting."

Edward nodded, feeling a little reassured.  
"I haff to find Malfoy." And Viktor evaporated.

**

One of the men kneeling next to Harry spoke softly to his partner, and Edward overheard him.

"We are going to need a healer, Diggory."  
"I know. But only Dedalus can contact Kingsley."  
"I can't believe no one thought to assign a single healer to this squad."  
"We weren't supposed to need a healer, Mate. Our job was to prevent this."

"We can't do _everything, _Amos! What are we supposed to do about an impending car crash? They should have given us a healer."

"Not many healers are trained in defensive magic…"  
"Then we need a muggle doctor."

Edward stole this statement as an invitation. He crossed the distance to where Harry was sprawled and squatted beside the two guards. They made to stow their wands, (which seemed useless to Edward, as everyone had already seen them appear out of nowhere,) but upon recognizing him as one who knew their secret, they retrained their wands on the fallen hero.

"I can help," he informed them as he swallowed the accumulating saliva in his mouth.  
"No, you can't, Boy. I don't care what you know of us, you shouldn't be here."  
"I've been to med-school." Edward protested.  
"I don't care," one replied gruffly.

The vampire sighed, becoming frustrated. These men claimed to want to help Harry?

"My father is a doctor," he tried.  
The gruff one twitched. "Why the devil didn't you say so?"  
"Well I told you that _I _was, but you didn't seem to like that apparently."  
"You said no such thing!"  
"I _said _I've been to med-school!"  
"Do you think I know what that is, you daft muggle?"

Now Edward was enraged. The smell of Harry's sweet blood was driving his senses haywire, and he was struggling to remain in control. This, coupled with the sound of Harry's slowing heartbeat, made him frantic and the only thing that these wizards were doing was making the muggle witnesses forget everything.  
He knew this was what has happening, because he could hear the muggles' blissfully confused and unaware thoughts as they considered cloud formations and the fuzziness of small animals. When no clear thoughts emanated from the cars, a wizard that looked fairly important came over to Edward. The vampire rose to his feet and met the man's gaze.

"Are they with you?" the man nodded toward Alice and Rosalie.  
"Yes," Edward told him.  
"Take them to our residence. We will meet you there soon."

"Bring your father as well, you!" The other wizard spoke from the ground.  
The vampire nodded and made his way over to the girls.

"Come on," he said quietly. Rosalie didn't move.  
"What is going on," she wanted to know.  
"I can't tell you," he replied. "Just come with me, but we have to get Carlisle first."  
He led them out of the street and when they were safely in the trees they began to run to the hospital.

*****

"What is wrong?" Was the first thing that the doctor asked when his children entered his office.  
"Harry is seriously hurt. You must come and help him."

Swiftly, Carlisle had a black bag packed and was headed out the door.

When they arrived at the house at the edge of town, Edward grabbed his sisters' arms and nodded at Carlisle to follow. He stepped meaningfully across the driveway and immediately their ears were deafened by a shrill alarm. Edward continued forward without a break in his step and strode boldly through the front door. Only once inside did he release his hold on the girls' arms. Seeing no one in the main room, he took the steps four at a time and his family followed.

_"Of course you know where his bedroom is,"_ growled Rosalie in his head. When Edward growled angrily, Alice turned on the other female. "Could you for once be a little nicer and show some decency? Harry could be dying."

Rose sniffed but didn't speak again.

The alarm continued to scream in their ears, and only quieted when they reached the end of the hall. Draco Malfoy, standing outside of Harry's closed door, sighed in relief when it stopped. His panther lay at his feet, scratching furiously at its ears, and the cry of a child could be heard from somewhere in the house. Draco recognized Carlisle's white garbs and pointed at him.

"You, Muggle Healer. Go help him," he demanded as he opened the door. The elder vampire smiled softly at him. "I will do my best," he promised, and he entered the room with Edward just behind him.

***

To say that the doctor was shocked would be an understatement. As if the bizarre room wasn't enough, the gathering of strange men in flowing robes that surrounded the bed, sticks held aloft, were very intriguing. The most bewildering by far, however, was the form of Harry Potter. The teenager was levitating a good two feet above the sheets of his bed so that neither his shredded back nor his bruised front was aggravated by the mattress. He was breathing shallowly but steadily and was emitting various shades of color each time a stick was aimed at him. Edward gripped his sire's shoulder. "Please help him. They will speak to us later."

Upon recognizing that his son knew something he did not, Carlisle raised an elegant eyebrow, but approached the bed and began to examine the floating figure. To his relief, the men in cloaks stepped back and allowed him to work.

Outside, Draco stood awkwardly with the two female vampires.  
"You can't go in there," he drawled.  
"Why?"  
"Because you'll probably have a blood frenzy, you dolt. Your eyes are black as anything. I'm not going to let you near Harry when he's just had half his skin sheared off. Come downstairs. I have to contact some people, and you have to stay in my sight."

"You let Edward in there," Alice told him.

Draco snorted. "Yes, well. I'm not about to keep him and Harry apart. Harry would have _me _skinned if he knew I turned out his stupid Blood-Boy."

As they walked down the steps, Draco continued to speak. "You're vampires. We are wizards. Your "brother" knows this, and Harry will no doubt tell you all everything another time. Unless your elder can't fix him. In that case- well, _you_ won't need to know much at all."

At the fireplace, he pointed them to the sofa. "Hush," he told them. He kicked aside three day's accumulation of unread newspapers and knelt on the hearth. In seconds, fire sprung up in the grate and he tossed a handful of floo powder in. He thrust his head into the flames, and Alice shrieked. When he finally returned, he brushed the ash from his hair and turned back to them.

"Would you mind waiting in the basement? He pointed a downward staircase at the other end of the house. A bunch of my kind will be coming through here soon."

*****

Up in Harry's room, Carlisle was stitching the skin of Harry's back. He had been informed that the boy's insides (broken ribs and torn muscle tissue) had been stabilized, and he was working to seal the open wounds. Harry's skin, from his lower back to his shoulder blades, was a ripped and bloody mess. Carlisle mopped the drying blood as it crusted at the wound. He had secured an IV drip in Harry's arm to keep him hydrated, and injected another drug to help his blood clot. As he finished sewing the skin, a neat but extensive row of even stitches decorated the teen's back. Carlisle sighed. He knew it would scar horribly, but there was nothing more he could do. Content that the vulnerable wound had been attended to, Carlisle focused his attention on Harry's lesser issues; his broken left arm, his scraped right. The vampire wished there weren't all of these men watching him. He softly took Harry's right arm in hand and blotted the skin gently to clear the caked blood. With a pair of tweezers, he plucked bits of gravel that had been embedded in the skin. Each minute pebble "planked" wetly into a Petri dish that he placed on a side table. But as he made to roll up Harry's torn sleeve, he found that he could not. He tugged at the material, willing to rip it so he could attend to the scrapes properly, but the shirt would not be shifted. Then Edward spoke aloud for the first time, but directed his question to the strangers in cloaks.

"Can any of _you _remove it? It's a holster. He showed me."

"No," the one called Diggory responded. "Only he can take it off. After everything, he took precautions to ensure it could never be separated from him except by his own hand and free will."

Edward cursed. "Leave it, Carlisle. The arm will be fine for now."

The elder vampire's patience was shockingly lacking though.

"Now see here," he addressed the room. "I am helping him, like you asked. You must tell me what is going on with you all, and this patient."

Just then a tall black man strode into the room. His royal blue robe drifted behind him and swished at his ankles when he stopped at the foot of the bed.

"Report." he demanded of the two men that wore more official clothing than the rest.

"Sir, he was riding his motorbike. Upon contact with a swerving vehicle, he was sent airborne and into the street. This man is attending to him."

The black man glanced briefly at Carlisle.

"A muggle?" he asked

"Yes, Sir."

The newcomer turned to the vampires and introduced himself.

"Hello. Kingsley Shaklebolt, British Minister of --

"The Wizarding World." Edward finished for him. "Harry has mentioned you before. He's not always too happy with you though," he added boldly.

Kingsley's and Carlisle's eyebrows rose.

_"Edward,"_ Carlisle's questioning voice echoed in his son's head.

"Soon." Edward promised.

"So you are Edward." Kingsley deduced. "Harry did inform me that he shared his secret with you. It is a pleasure to meet a friend of Harry's."

"Yes Sir. For me as well."

"I don't mean to be rude, as I am immensely grateful for you both, but could you please excuse us for a while?" The minister asked of the muggles.

"Of course." Edward grabbed Carlisle's elbow and led him into the hall. "We will look in on Teddy."

***

In the adjacent room, Edward ensured that the child was sleeping contently in his crib, and then directed his father to have a seat.

"I'll explain it all now," he told him. "And just so you know, Harry was planning to tell you himself tonight."

Carlisle nodded and took as seat in a soft blue rocking chair. It slid backward along its track and paused there as his weight settled.

"Harry is a wizard. All of the men in this house are wizards. Even Teddy." The younger contemplated the reaction that did not come.

"You don't seem surprised."

Carlisle actually laughed. "Son, I have just seen a boy floating above his bed while men with sticks chanted at him. If that's not wizardry, then I don't know what is! Tell me about them, then."

And Edward did. He explained Harry's past, feeling guilty for knowing he did not do it justice and for sharing a secret that was not his to share. He confirmed his father's theory of Teddy's breed and unworthily told the tale of Voldemort's reign, and his defeat at Harry's hand. Finally, Edward tried to explain the wizards' presence in a town like Forks.  
"I'm not positive why they are _here, _but that man, the minister, sent him. Harry is unhappy that Shaklebolt is interfering a bit too much though. Harry tries to be a private person, but he _is _their hero."

Carlisle observed the nursery.

"This is most definitely a wizard's home," he commented as a shooting star danced across the enchanted ceiling- darkened for Teddy's naptime.

Edward smiled. "Yeah, it is."

The elder vampire stood and clasped his son's shoulder. "I'm happy for you."

"Thank you. For Everything."

"Of course."

A clamor in the hall interrupted their moment, and Draco's voice bounded off the walls as he raced up the steps.

"You can't just go barging in there! The guard is--

"You shut your mouth, Ferret. You have _no _right- I have no idea how _you _were deemed eligible to join this excursion, but Harry--

"Harry is _my _friend now too, dammit!"

"You don't give a--

"Ron!"

"You know it as well as I do, Hermione. Malfoy's a useless git. He couldn't even keep Harry from getting himself killed for three months!"

"Like you two ever did any better!" The Slytherin's voice countered. The voices reached the top of the steps. Edward knew because the angry pounding against the stairs had stopped. Draco's voice then dropped significantly.

"Now you close your mouth, Weasley, 'cuz if you wake up Teddy I'll shove my fist down your throat."

The wizard's 'conversation' fell to a whisper that Edward and Carlisle could still hear plainly through the closed door.

"You really cannot go in there until Shaklebolt gets out," Draco said sincerely.

Before Ron could argue again, the female intervened.

"Fine then. We will look in on Teddy. I'm sure he's grown."

"Yeah, loads. He's been cutting teeth lately though, annoying little imp," the blond spoke affectionately.

Carlisle's voice in his head told Edward that they were having the same thought- open the door before it was opened. The younger grasped the handle and swung the door inward. As soon as the door had opened enough to reveal him, Edward found himself in an increasingly familiar position- with a wand at his throat.

**

"Weasley! Don't hurt him!" Draco warned. Blue eyes flashed and studied Edward. "Who is he," the redheaded wizard demanded. Edward took several steps backward and though Ron lowered his wand he didn't put it away.

"My name is Edward Cullen. I'm… a friend of Harry's. You must be Ron Weasley."  
"I am."  
"Harry talks of you often.  
Ron seemed a bit pleased by this. "Really?"  
"Yes."

Ron slipped his wand up the sleeve of his robes. Edward noticed that they were the same color as those of only a few men in Harry's guard: black, with red markings on the cuffs. The vampire breathed out loudly in the awkward silence.

"Well done, Ron. You frightened him."

"I'm not frightened," Edward assured the witch. "This is just a bit well, uncomfortable."

The girl apologized and introduced herself. Edward shook her hand. "Of course, Harry talks about you as well, Hermione."

She gripped his hand and looked at him calculatingly; first his hand, then into his eyes. Recognition flashed in her gaze and she broke the grasp swiftly. She then looked at Carlisle still standing near the crib and spun angrily on Malfoy.

"Are they--

But Edward interrupted. "Yes."

She turned back to him. "Then why are you here?" she asked. She clasped her wand and held it without drawing it.

"My father is a doctor. He was helping Harry."  
"Does Harry know?"  
"No, he was unconscious."

"I meant about," she gestured vaguely at him.  
"Yes, of course."

"Well then," she said. "You must know of us as well. Though I don't see why Draco couldn't have warned us."

"Oi! Why does everything come back to me?"

"It doesn't," Hermione appeased him. "I'm only _suggesting_ it would have been nice to know that there was someone else here who knew of our situation."

"I didn't know you would meet. They shouldn't still be here."

"What is going on!?" Ron raised his voice, exasperated, and Teddy gave a whine. Before Hermione could move, Edward had the child cradled gently in his arms, bundled in a blanket to protect him from the cold touch. The witch raised a brow, but said nothing.

"They are vampires, Ron. Apparently friends of Harry's."

When Ron opened his mouth, probably out of shock and anger, Draco tugged his forearm.

"Don't even try. I've already argued it enough. They are safe, and they _are _Harry's friends. Or rather, _he _is." he said, indicating Edward with a slick smirk. Edward sent him a warning glare. Draco ignored him.

"I've never seen _him_ before," he finished with a gesture to Carlisle.

"My name is Carlisle Cullen. I am Edward's father for all intents and purposes, and a doctor up at Forks Hospital."

Hermione perked. "Forks? Like Washington? Oh _finally!_ He's been in Washington, Ron!"

"Great job, Sucker." Draco muttered. "This _used _to be a secure location."

"I apologize," Carlisle said genuinely. "I didn't know."

"Oh, lighten up, Malfoy. Honestly, we should have been allowed to know to begin with. We don't want Harry found any more than you do."  
"Fine."

They stood in a companionable silence for a while. Teddy was passed to Hermione's loving arms where he slept peacefully. After too much time waiting, the door was opened and Kingsley entered. He greeted them all.

"The guard has retired to their quarters, and I must get back to London. You may see Harry now."

Hermione breathed an upset sort of sigh and thanked him. Carlisle, feeling out of place, bowed himself out.

"If you don't mind," Draco requested. "Could you escort your females off of this property? Make sure the tall one feels guilty for this."  
Carlisle nodded and disappeared down the steps the same way Kingsley had. The others then shuffled into Harry's room.

***

"Oh, _Harry,_" Hermione whimpered. Edward wanted to express a similar sentiment, but schooled his features and watched. He thought that Harry was already looking significantly better. The dried blood had been cleared from body, leaving him clean and pale if not for the slightly irritated skin at the site of his wounds. Such areas were reddened and raw-looking, like new skin beneath a blister. He must have been woken for a while, because the rest of his shirt had been removed and his wand rested on his bedside table next to his bent glasses. He had been tucked into the bed, the covers pulled up to his waist to leave his bandaged torso visible. It was a much nicer position, Edward thought. He was not levitating in that ghostly way anymore. Hermione was waving her wand over him while she held his hand.

"He's been put to sleep- he's not unconscious. Now it's only a matter of waking him up."

"How long could that take?" The vampire asked.

"Seconds," the wizards responded in unison.

Ron pointed his want at his best friend_. "Ennervate!"_ he called.

A flash of white light jetted from his wand, striking Harry and dissipating when it made contact with his chest. Harry groaned and opened his eyes groggily.

Hermione kissed his knuckles. "Harry, how are you feeling?"  
"Hermione?"  
She smiled and nodded at him.  
" 's Ron here?"  
"Yeah, Mate." The redhead spoke up.  
"Feels like I've been taken out by the whomping willow again."  
Ron chuckled. "You don't have much luck with cars, do you?"  
Harry grimaced. "Guess not. How did you two get here?"  
"Draco called us through Kingsley. They said you were really bad."

"Thanks, Draco."  
"No problem. Listen, if you're all right, I'll leave you to the golden duo. I'm- ah, late."  
Harry lazily waved him off, noticing the bandages on his arm for the first time. "Have fun."  
Draco tossed his keys in one hand and threw him a wink. "I intend to." And he left the room.  
Edward looked disgusted. Ron and Hermione turned twin looks of confusion toward Harry.

"I'm not saying anything," he told them. They shrugged.

"So why am I okay?" The raven wizard wanted to know. "The guard didn't talk much. They only made me take off my wand, and my arm feels like it's been chewed up, but I'm actually okay."

Edward spoke up for the first time.

"Some of that was Carlisle. I got him to come and he fixed you up. The guard did some magic stuff too, but they wouldn't talk to us much either." Harry looked up at him and smiled. "Tell him thank you."

"I will."

Hermione examined the hand that she held and tutted. "Harry, you know I hate those glamour charms."  
"Hermione, you know I hate the scars," he whined back in the same tone.

"Finite," Hermione enchanted. The image of Harry shuddered as though he were a fading hologram, and then faded wounds cropped up over his exposed chest and arms. The witch ran her thumb over the words 'I Must Not Tell Lies,' which were embedded in the back of his hand. Edward swallowed his fury. He understood now, why Harry had scars at some times and none at others. And as for the phrase on his hand, it was definitely not a tattoo.

The garage door opened downstairs. The sound echoed around the quiet room, and when it halted a motorcycle zipped down the street- the buzz of its engine growing faint as it got further away.

Harry smiled at his friends. "He really has become quite the muggle."

Ron's eyebrows were lost in his hairline.  
"I'm serious. You should see our phone bill."

But Hermione didn't laugh. She sighed shakily and stood up. "Will he be gone for a while?"  
Harry snorted. "Definitely. He won't be back until later tonight."  
"Good."  
Hermione threw a glance at the door, and then closed it with a swish of her wand. She eyed Edward, but then seemed to figure it wasn't worth trying to kick him out.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked her. The witch's face was screwed up with conflict, and it looked like she was straining to hold back tears. She shook her head and looked desperately at Ron.

Ron shifted a stack of books and sat himself on Harry's desk. He was watching Ana as she wound majestically across the floor of her habitat. The bluish glow from her tank tinted his pale face and unblinking eyes.

"Mate," he began miserably.

"Lucius Malfoy escaped."

Harry's faced showed a 'you've got to be kidding me' expression for half a second. Rapidly, it switched to fury.

"Why wasn't I told immediately?" Harry demanded.

"You're supposed to be relaxing. And _The Prophet _hasn't published it yet."

Harry attempted to sit himself up. "So the Wizarding world are running around unknowing that that bastard is loose? Oh, now I'm relaxed. What happened?"

Edward sat gently on the side of the bed and lightly pushed the irate wizard back onto his pillow. "Please calm down. Your heart is racing." Harry looked up into his dark eyes.

"Go home, Edward." he bit out.

"What?"

"You heard me. I said go! Hunt, run, I don't care. Just get out of here." His tone rose with his anger.

"Harrison," Edward tried, gently and quietly.

"Don't! Can't you see? I've only been here for three months and I've put myself in my own damn bubble. I've left them behind, forgot about it all. I got so caught up in _myself,_ and now Lucius fucking Malfoy has broken out of Azkaban. Leave, Edward." He grabbed his wand and pressed himself up again.

"Now."

His voice wavered a bit on the last word, but his arm and glare remained steady. Edward looked into vibrant green eyes that showed nothing but determination. He made to move toward the wizard once more, but those eyes flashed and the wand was raised. Edward froze, shock and hurt plain on his face, and he backed up again.

"Fine," he whispered. He tore his gaze from Harry and spun violently. He could see Hermione and Ron watching their exchange, but he made no eye contact with them. When he opened the door, he turned and stood in the doorway. He placed his hands on the doorframe and without looking up, opened his mouth to say something. He didn't.

And then, in a blink, he was gone.

* * *

**NOTE: **Two cliff-hangers in a row? Golly, what's gotten into me?? I promise, it's not going to be too horrible- don't hate me! I hope no one minds the entrance of Ron and Hermione. Honestly, I do not want them in this story at all. BUT they will not be here any longer than a few more paragraphs, and then I don't plan on bringing them back until MAYBE the very very end. (which is still a while off).  
If anyone has any suggestions, comments, questions, etcetera, let me know! Don't be shy. I will answer what I can, and if you have anything to add, I might just sneak it in there (with a note about you of course!)  
So drop me a review, and I will have the next chapter up as soon as I am able. Thanks!  
**P.S.** Thankyou to all those good wishes for my mother and the rest of my family. You are all very sweet and kind people. Mom is currently undergoing radiation 2-4 times a week to target a node in her abdomen. The treatment should be done before christmas, (WOO!) And then, (we hope) she won't have to deal with this again. My mom is quite a strong women. To any out there who have dealt with this, I toast you! It truly is a difficult thing.


	23. Chapter 23

**Not even going to make excuses for the delay. I have come to the conclusion that sometimes life is busy, and therefore certain things have to be put momentarily on the back burner. THIS DOES NOT MEAN MY STORY WILL BE ABANDONED OR PUT ON HOLD- I simply am living the hectic life and will take some time between updates. *Disclaimer* I don't own anything.**

**WARNING: I have recently become aware that some people have INCREDIBLY weak stomachs. If a description of blood bothers you, skip the paragraph that begins with a sentence containing the word "MONSTER!" (you will notice it.)**

Please Read the Author's Note at the End :)

* * *

The incident had occurred on November 23rd. Hermione and Ron stayed with Harry for six days. His foul mood, which his friends chalked up to being stuck indoors plus the added stress of Lucius Malfoy, only increased with each day that he did not see Edward. He spent most of his time locked in his room, and hardly responded when Ron or Hermione broke through his locks to attempt to speak with him. Other times, he remained on the dueling floor, which was sealed and protected by wards that not even his guard could dissolve. Harry never mentioned what he worked on in there. He stopped taking a nightly vial of dreamless sleep, and his evenings were plagued by nightmares.

On Monday the 30th, the wizard awoke at 4am, dripping with sweat and his skin crawling from the unpleasant memories that played disturbing images across his vision. He looked at his window. It was closed. It had not been open since he sent Edward away. Harry buckled forward, his elbows digging into his quads, and pressed his eyes with the heels of his palms until the aftershocks of the nightmare were replaced by flashing white dots behind his eyelids. Then, with a sigh, he dragged himself to the bathroom for a shower.

***

The black haired wizard used a spell to clear the steam from the room, which revealed his reflection in the previously fogged mirror. Tired green eyes took in a familiar appearance. The whitish bolt- the most recognizable- peaked from beneath his ragged damp hair, and the scarring abrasions on his left forearm caught his eye. He turned sideways and peered over his shoulder to examine his back and hip. The ropy scar from the final duel glared at him, raised across his back. It now crossed two rows of fine stitches that were now neatly dissolving due to a potion Hermione had whipped up for him. Harry toweled his hair with one hand and stuck his toothbrush in his mouth, contemplating the last week. Hermione and Ron left last night, and, when not plagued by his silence, the week had been filled with tension and heated discussions.

Yesterday afternoon, Ron had tried to boil the teapot on the stovetop and switched on the wrong burner. As a result, two of Teddy's plastic bottles had been melted to the rear left burner, deformed and useless. The stench of burning plastic filled the house in seconds, and Harry's rage came to a peak. It was at that time, that Hermione dragged him up to his room, forced a calming draught into his hand, and lectured him like a naughty child.

"I am not being unreasonable!" he protested.

"Yes you are," the witch retorted. "You've been injured, I get it." And she lowered her voice, as Draco was down the hall.

"And you're worried about Lucius. Ron and I are too. But you _will_ pull yourself out of this disgusting self-pity right now, Harry Potter, because you will only wind up hurting the people you love."

Harry turned away, unable to meet her eye. Instead he looked over at his desk where the creatures and charms books still lay, untouched since Edward's night reading them. Hermione watched him suspiciously for a moment, then left the room and closed the door behind her.  
Later that night Harry made his apologies and his goodbyes. Ron and Hermione had to return to their own lives, and he would be returning to school. He knew he would be behind. Dedalus had forged him an excuse for missing classes since Tuesday (something he wasn't happy to do). Harry felt like he hadn't been to school in ages. After the Thanksgiving vacation, there there had been his "coming out day," which included his accident, and of course he hadn't been back since. But it was Monday now. He was mostly healthy, and his friends were gone. He knew he had to go back. Back to classes, and muggles, and Edward.

Harry spat in the sink.

The Gryffindor walked back into the stillness of his dark bedroom. He dressed and made his way to the kitchen. Over a cup of coffee, he allowed his thoughts to wander once more. It was only a quarter to five and Draco was still asleep upstairs. Draco remained blissfully unaware of his father's escape. He was still able to dream happily of his boyfriend, see him nearly every day, while Harry was plagued by night terrors.

"Lucky bastard," the Chosen One muttered.

He had decided not to inform the Slytherin that the elder Malfoy was loose. He had told Kingsley not to send the paper anymore, and he hoped that Ron and the rest of the elite would recapture him, and they would be able to stay here in Forks, unaffected. He hoped, for Draco's sake, that Lucius wouldn't find them.

He didn't. A week and a half passed. Christmas was approaching quickly and Harry and Draco never saw nor heard a sign of Lucius. They never saw a sign of Edward either.

Harry hid. He disappeared behind the mask that he had developed in his fifth, sixth, and seventh years. This mask was one of indifference. It said, 'I'm fine, nothing's bothering me.' His teachers fell for it, his peers fell for it, and only one person saw through it.

**

Draco slammed a textbook onto the side table in the living room- hard. Harry blinked.

The boy-who-lived was slouched across the couch, his arm bent up behind him to rest his head. Draco stood up and planted himself firmly in front of the Gryffindor. Harry raised his eyebrows.

"What."

He said it as a statement, not a question. Draco seethed.

"Stop it!" the blond demanded sharply.

"Stop what?"

"Stop, everything. This. Just stop being so… just, I don't know. Shut up!"

"I'm not saying anything."

Draco growled. "You don't _do _anything! I don't know why Edward left, Harry, but he did, and you can't stop the world spinning. Snap out of it!"

"'kay."

Harry rolled over, facing the back of the couch and turning away from Draco.

The pureblood breathed out through his nose before crouching down beside the sofa.

After a minute he worked up his nerve as the concerned friend. "Did he do something to you?" he asked quietly.

"No," Harry's voice replied, muffled. "I made him go. This isn't about Edward, Draco. You wouldn't understand."

He didn't say anything else after that. Draco waited for another few moments, rocking back on his heels in silence. Finally he sighed and got up, leaving the room. Razor jumped down lightly from his place on an armchair and padded quietly after his master.

***

_The Next Morning, December 9th_

Harry put the car in park and pulled the key from the ignition. It got stuck, and Harry cursed and tugged more firmly, shaking the wheel unnecessarily in his irrational anger. Draco gave him a look.

"What?"

"Are you done being childish?"

Harry fumed. "Yes, Draco. I'll stop throwing myself a pity party. I'll be a good boy and smile and skip down the halls. Will that satisfy you?"

Before the Slytherin could respond that that wasn't what he meant, Harry had opened the door and left the car.

The Boy Who Lived was being swept along in the tide of students that flowed through the entrance-way. He was aware of the people around him- such as the girl who squeaked when someone unknowingly stood on her foot, and the freshman (whose forehead reached Harry's elbow) who spat messily on the ground and squared his jaw toughly. Harry shook his head. He doubted that the boy's voice had dropped yet. He separated himself from the crowd when the stream opened into a lobby that branched to more halls. He allowed himself a short laugh at the short boy trying to look intimidating, and the slight smile remained on his lips as he spun the combination on his locker. When he spun open the door, someone appeared at his side.

"Now there's something I haven't seen in a while."

His brow furrowed at Alice Cullen and he eyed the contents of his locker.

"Textbooks?"

"No," her light voice was touched with sadness. "A smile."

The Gryffindor zipped his bag and turned on her.  
"Can I help you?" he asked impatiently.

"Edward's miserable too. It's actually quite awful."

"I am not miserable," he argued.

Alice had to admit- with those green eyes dulled as they were, he did appear quite indifferent, except for the tick in his right brow when she had said Edward's name.

"Yes you are," she said quietly. "You hardly even talk to Draco, and haven't argued with Mike Newton since the accident. What happened with you and Edward?"

"You didn't _**see**_ it?" he asked gruffly.

He tried to push past her, but she was back in front of him as soon as he moved. He gritted his teeth angrily, but she spoke anyway. "I rarely have visions that involve you. Partly because Edward requested I give you two some privacy. Partly because you just seem difficult to see."

Harry looked over her head, staring at a wall and not saying a word.

"What's wrong, Harry? My family is very confused. Edward hasn't said anything. He ran for four days, came back, and hasn't left his room since. We don't know where he went, but it's been almost two weeks since he's been back and he hasn't hunted since."

Harry shifted his eyes back onto her.

"He hasn't fed at all?"

She shook her head. "He must have when he was gone. His eyes… Carlisle wouldn't say, but… Harry, Edward hadn't had a slip up since the forties," she said quietly. "He's _distraught,_ and we need to know what happened to make him such a mess."

The wizard leaned heavily against his locker, no longer trying to avoid this vampire.

"You think he attacked someone?"

Alice hesitated minutely.

"He came back so- _crazed._Carlisle tried to talk to him, and Edward _threw_ him, straight through the wall. His eyes were red, _and _there was a supposed double murder just over the Canadian border. Two bodies found, no weapon, no evidence, no motive, and no suspect. It's near a place that Edward has run to before."

Harry felt a horrible sense of guilt boil in his gut. He knew he had caused this. It was him who sent Edward away, caused him to break more than half a century of his vegetarian lifestyle… and harming Carlisle? Harry knew how much the elder meant to Edward. And two innocent people drained of life.

Harry swallowed the urge to vomit: two more deaths upon his shoulders.

He trembled and turned his back on Alice.

"I sent him away," he admitted bitterly to the wall, and his voice shook. "It's my fault. I can't let myself be with him. I can't do that to him, and I can't do it to my world."

Alice tried to take his hand, but he slapped away her cold touch.

"No." he said firmly. He turned and his features were set again in stony indifference. "I have a job. I don't want it, it is expected of me. I don't have any right to be off skipping through life and falling in love when innocent wizards and muggles are falling to their deaths because of deranged Death Eaters. I am an assassin," he spoke between gritted teeth. "I am a _soldier_, not a _soul-mate_. I shouldn't even be here."

Alice sighed. "I don't understand," she said quietly.

"Good. You are not supposed to. You shouldn't have ever gotten this close. None of you! And especially not Edward. You shouldn't understand _anything_."

The small vampire took a step back. "If that's the way you feel about it then."

"It is."

"Fine." she relented sadly. "But I think you should know. Edward's in love with you too." And she turned, floating her way down the hall through the packs of teenagers.

Her words struck Harry. Once more he turned from the hall and faced his locker. He rested his heated forehead against the cool of the metal and tried to tune out the chaos around him. He pressed his right hand palm-down to the flat of the locker as well. The cold felt uncomfortably familiar and he clenched the hand into a fist, which he thrust forward sharply. His knuckles stung. The Gryffindor squeezed his eyes shut, and was frustrated when he was assaulted by images of golden eyes and bronze hair. He heaved a sigh and pushed off the locker, knocking it again firmly with the back of his fingers. He hitched the bag up on his shoulder and trudged un the same direction Alice had walked, on his way to English class.

**

That day passed too quickly for Harry. He spent the majority of his class time thinking desperately about his situation. The conversation with Alice played back again in his mind over and over. The notes he took for lectures slanted significantly on his lined notebook, leaving sentences trailing downward and wide expanses of blank space. Sometimes, he doodled in the spaces.

With his decision still not made, he was surprised to find his feet leading him over to a large white Jeep that was parked at the edge of the lot when school was over. This vehicle belonged to Emmett Cullen. Rosalie's Corvette hadn't been seen since the accident that no one remembered, and Edward's Volvo was conspicuously absent. Upon reaching the car, he stood awkwardly beside it, feeling remarkably small next to its huge tires. After a minute or two, he could spot the hulking form of Emmett among the other students leaving the building. It didn't take long for Emmett to be joined by Rosalie, and even less time for the couple to reach their car, and subsequently, Harry. Their quiet acknowledgment of each other's presence was uncomfortable. Then Emmett extended his large hand for a shake.

"Hey man, how are you?"

Harry shrugged. "Alice said that Edward was a bit of a mess," he began. The vampires nodded in confirmation.

Harry sighed and ran a hand over his face. His fingers brushed the scar on his forehead, and then ran backward through his hair, which ruffled messily.

"Would you take me to him?"

Emmett looked at Rosalie.  
Rosalie looked at Harry.  
Harry watched the ground and absentmindedly fingered the roughened skin of his left arm.  
"Yes." Rose told him. She strode over to the Jeep and held open a passenger side door.

* * *

**November 27th- Four days after Harry's Accident**

The sound of the front door opening was heard throughout the house. Alice looked up from her book and met Carlisle's gaze. The elder had sighed in relief at the sound. Suddenly, Jasper was at his mate's side. He took her hand and whispered in her ear.

"He smells like blood."

Carlisle sniffed the air as footsteps fled up the carpeted staircase, and a look of disappointment shone on his face, his eyes saddened. "You two should go join the others in the woods. I will talk to him privately. Run or hunt, but don't come back for several hours." Alice nodded and stacked her book neatly on a side table. Taking Jasper's hand again, the couple left the house silently.

_"Edward,"_Carlisle called to his son's mind.

The pacing steps upstairs ceased.

_"Please come here, Son."_

There was nothing, and then in a second Edward stood before his sire, his head bowed shamefully. His bronze hair was matted and unwashed. The flithy locks were plastered to his forehead with rain and mud, tangled from being caught roughly on the brush of the forest. His hands were stained with dirt and he wore the same clothes as the day of Harry's accident. The knees of his torn jeans were rusty with caked mud and dried blood- only some of which smelled of Harry.

"Edward," Carlisle whispered to him painfully. "What has happened?"

Edward clenched his jaw and his fists. He raised a blank stare to his father's face. His eyes were a deep garnet. Hardly a shadow remained of the light golden color in a ridge around the red. He didn't blink.

"Please tell me why you did this," Carlisle requested calmly.

Edward remained silent. He breathed outward heavily through his nose- angrily, like a bull.

Carlisle tried again. He stepped toward the forever-teen and reached out to touch his shoulder. Edward shrugged away from the contact.

"I want to help!"

Edward's dead stare was suddenly alight with fire. The red gaze sharpened wildly.

"You can't!" he said grimly. He gripped Carlisle's wrist in his hand and held it tightly. "This is _your fault!_" his voice raised to a crazed shout.

"_You_ turned me into this- this- **Monster**!" he took the captured wrist with both hands now and jerked his arms from his left hip to over his right shoulder, as though swinging a sack to be carried. He released his grip and with an angry yell threw his father bodily into the living room wall. Carlisle crashed violently through the white wall and plaster rained down around him. He smacked his head firmly against a piece of brick, which split cleanly at the contact. He stood agilely and looked at his son. Edward hunched over, rested his hands on his knees, and _retched._ He heaved forcibly and several liters of red liquid, swirling with light silvery venom streamed thickly from his mouth and spilt across the white marble floor. Edward continued to heave and retch until he coughed wetly and allowed his victim's blood to drizzle from his chin, pooling with the consistency of thinned paint. He then wiped his jaw roughly with a cold hand, smearing his dirty palm.

"I killed them, Carlisle. The man first. Then the woman when she ran." He stopped, but Carlisle didn't say anything, and so he continued. "I don't want this anymore, Carlisle. I want this to be a dream; I want to wake up… no. I wish I could _sleep,_" he said desperately. "I would give anything to sleep." He continued to mutter these phrases pleadingly, moaning painfully as he crouched among the viscous puddle of vomited blood. "Please, let me wake up. _Please, _a nightmare. Tell me I am asleep, Carlisle!"

Carlisle led his son upstairs while he remained in his dazed state. He undressed Edward and stood him in the shower, dousing him with hot water. The spray steamed, but Edward did not lose the feeling of coldness that embraced him. The water turned murky as it twisted down the drain and Edward's skin became clean again, his hair untangling. Carlisle dried him and he pulled on a new set of clothes. The teen was led to the couch in his bedroom. Carlisle sat him there amongst his music, and kissed the damp hair that smothered his hairline. "Sleep then, my son," he intoned. He then descended to the basement and burned the destroyed clothes, removing the forbidden scent of blood from the house. The rest of the family would not learn of these circumstances. It was Edward's business.

By the time his family had returned, Carlisle had cleaned the mess of blood from the floor and had purged the odor of it with bleach. That evening, Emmett and Jasper repaired the section of wall that had been shattered.

By morning, Edward had ceased moving. He did not blink, and he did not breathe. He merely stared, creating his own dreams. Most of what he saw focused on black hair and bright, expressive, green eyes.

* * *

**December 9th**

Harry watched trees zip by as Emmett's Jeep headed out of town. He noted that their destination appeared to be due north of his safe house- just on the other side of the woods. The car was silent and awkward. Alice, who had squealed happily at the sight of him, was pressed against his left, and Jasper was beside her. Harry raced the raindrops that fell on his window to the tempo of the windshield wipers. Alice squeezed his knee and for the fourth time whispered how relieved she was that he was coming.

"It's been horrible," she confided.

Harry felt guilt twist his insides again and didn't respond.

In a while, they turned off the main road and the Jeep ambled down a narrow street lined with moss-covered trees. This trail tapered, turned a corner, and then opened to a beautiful clearing in the trees. A white mansion stood majestically in the center, one side was open, leaving the interior visible. It was glass. Before Harry could fully appreciate the unbelievable structure, the Jeep dipped downward slightly and pulled into a huge and dark garage. After a second, lights turned on automatically and the garage was flooded with bright florescent lighting.

Harry opened his door and used the ledge to jump down to the smooth cement floor. The garage was enormous, designed as a true automotive shop. Numerous expensive cars were parked throughout, and he recognized the red Corvette on a lift. It was jacked a good five feet above the ground, and beneath it lay a tub of various tools. Nearby, a sheet covered a remarkably motorcycle-like shape that was crooked at the front. A small hand touched his bicep. "Come on, Harry."

Alice led him up a flight of stairs after her siblings.

Harry's first impression was that the place was open, airy, and safe. It was quiet, almost silent, which made sense as the normal speech of its inhabitants need not be so loud as that of a human. Underlying this calm and quiet, the house was disconcerting and sorrowful, like the feeling of walking into a funeral home.

It was satisfyingly warm and everything was impressively clean. The wizard immediately felt dirty, clumsy, and loud. He toed off his shoes and followed after Alice in his socks. She led him up another staircase, where he admired an ancient looking wooden cross and various works of art. At the second landing, she led him around a corner and down a hall. Here she stopped and listened for a second.

"He knows you're here. I'm going to go back downstairs. You want the door on the left."

Then Harry was alone. He walked briskly the last few steps and paused in the doorway to Edward's room. The vampire was sitting on a black leather couch, watching the trees from a large window that served as the far wall of his room. Edward looked up and the boy who lived stifled a gasp. Edward's eyes were not golden. They were not red either. Not only were Edward's eyes pure black, they lacked the natural liquid quality of eyes. They were dry and dark, deep set and haunted. They looked as though they were decaying in their dehydrated state. The vampire didn't say anything, so Harry spoke first without moving from the doorway.

"You have remarkable control," he complimented quietly. He had never heard of a vampire becoming so needy for blood to this point. He was surprised that it was possible.

Edward shook his head sadly. "I could never hurt you," he said softly. His voice was just as beautiful as ever. "What are you doing here?" he asked as though it pained him.

"Alice said you weren't well."

Edward huffed. "Alice…"

"But honestly… I think I was only waiting for an excuse," Harry admitted.

Edward's black eyes caught Harry again, but he didn't say anything.

"Draco's been pissed at me."

"Have you had any luck with his father?"

Harry shook his head. "There have been no sightings, no attacks, nothing. We have no idea what he is planning."

Edward sighed. "Did you tell Draco?"

"No, of course not. He's happy for once in his life."

Edward stood for the first time in days and faced his glass wall. "You could be happy too," he began. "I never planned to be hindrance to you or your world. You said just now that I have control. I wouldn't harm anyone," he finished angrily.

"No, Edward!" Harry replied quickly. "It was never about that! _I _am the threat, not you! You must understand, Malfoy and any other Death Eaters- well, I destroyed their Master, their only purpose in life. They will hurt anyone close to me in order to get to me. And it _works._ I won't let that happen to _anyone else._"

Edward was about to retort, but Harry held up a hand that kept him quiet. "Look. Before we get into this. Would you please go hunt?"

Edward winced.

"_Please, _Edward. I swear I will wait here. No matter how long it takes."

The vampire sighed. Then he flipped a latch and a clear door opened in the wall. The sprang from the room without a sound and the swish of trees was heard as he entered the woods.

**

Harry waited for nearly five hours. Considering how fast Edward was, it was a very long period of time. Harry figured he must have been starving. At quarter to eight, Edward reappeared in the dark doorway and sighed in relief as his golden eyes took in the sight of the wizard.

"Harry," he breathed.

The Gryffindor stood from his seat on the couch and faced him. Edward felt venom moisten his throat, differently from when he hunted. A curse though it was, he realized he missed feeling this sort of need. And then Harry was embracing him. He tucked the head of messy hair under his chin and pressed the wizard close to him. He could feel his heartbeat thumping steadily and powerfully against his own still chest and could smell him, deep and rich. Edward breathed in greedily.

"You smell different," he observed. "Sharper, somehow."

"Maybe you'd forgotten it," Harry suggested.

"No, I can't forget a scent once I've experienced it. It mean's you've changed something. Diet? Activities?"

Harry stepped back. "Well, I haven't been eating too much," he started.

"Harry…"

"Don't even think of lecturing me, you hypocrite." and Edward stayed quiet.

"I have been practicing some dark magic lately too."

Edward raised his eyebrows.  
"To be ready!" Harry defended himself. "Just to make sure I can still do it."

"What have you been doing?"

"Conjuring mice, mostly. And well," he made a rather violent motion, as though zapping something with his wand, that made Edward assume he had _not _been conjuring mice for pets. The vampire couldn't bring himself to be bothered though. He had just taken out three bucks, a young doe, and sixteen rabbits.

"Would you show me?" he asked

"Merlin, no!" Harry answered swiftly.

Edward laughed, but Harry narrowed his eyes. "What is funny about that?"

"Nothing. I've just missed you. The way you speak, everything."

Harry blushed. "I've missed you too."

Edward smiled, bent his head, and met the wizard's lips. Quickly, Harry was returning the kiss and the couple backed to the couch. Edward twisted awkwardly so that he didn't crush Harry, and tugged him down on top without breaking their contact. When the need to breathe and the rushing in his ears became too much, Harry pulled back.

"I definitely missed you," he said. He kissed the vampire once more and they sat contentedly for a while, Edward stroking his hair, the two of them wrapped in a comfortable embrace.

Then Harry's stomach rumbled.

Edward chuckled and stood up. "Come on, Little Human. Let's go get you some food."

They walked from the bedroom, down the hall and down the steps, to the living room, where Alice, Jasper, Carlisle, and Esme stood. The females were grinning broadly, Carlisle seemed relieved, and Jasper looked uncomfortable as always.

"We are going out," Edward told them. "Harry needs something to eat."

Esme nodded and smiled at the two of them.

"It's lovely to see you again, Harry."

Harry grinned.

* * *

**A/N: Hello, Readers!** Like I said, I am sorry about the delay between chapters. Life here is relatively okay. I'm not doing so hott in school, so that's taking a lot of time and energy. My mother is now considered to be IN REMISSION! So thank you SOO much for all your inspiring thoughts and/or prayers. I truly appreciate them more than I can express. Nothing majorly dreadful has occured recently, apart from just hearing of sickness and deaths. Luckily, no one I am too close to. There has been news of new babies in my family, cousins, aunts, etc. So I am incredibly excited. Christmas was delightful. I hope everyone enjoyed their time off as well :)

As for the story, I hope you are still liking it! I have the next few bits written, just a matter of getting them posted. Oh, sorry if you don't agree with "the vampire's ability to regurgitate." Sorry, but it needed to be there for the sake of whatever.

THANKS SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!! Please review and let me know what you think!! Any constructive criticism is LOVED, because I am always looking to improve my writing. And don't worry, if you don't like something, I won't be offended. Just let me know :)

--darkestAngel13


	24. Chapter 24

A/N: Hey Readers! Thanks so much for tuning in. I am so sorry for the delay- I am turning into my own worst nightmare! (A fic rarely updated? oh my!) No excuses- I am simply being laaazy so I apologize for my being so late. Remember, **(Disclaimer)** No copy-write laws intended to be broken here, I don't own anything! I am also including the last paragraph of the previous chapter to jog your memory, because I haven't updated in so long. I hope you enjoy this chapter, and check out the message at the bottom!

* * *

_"I definitely missed you," he said. He kissed the vampire once more and they sat contentedly for a while, Edward stroking his hair, the two of them wrapped in a comfortable embrace._

_Then Harry's stomach rumbled._

_Edward chuckled and stood up. "Come on, Little Human. Let's go get you some food."_

_They walked from the bedroom, down the hall and down the steps, to the living room, where Alice, Jasper, Carlisle, and Esme stood. The females were grinning broadly, Carlisle seemed relieved, and Jasper looked uncomfortable as always._

_"We are going out," Edward told them. "Harry needs something to eat."_

_Esme nodded and smiled at the two of them._

_"It's lovely to see you again, Harry."_

_Harry grinned._

* * *

Edward brought Harry to the diner in Forks village. Harry had only been there once before, but the knew that Draco and Jacob met there frequently. They say at a booth, which, while more spacious than the two of them truly needed, left room for them to lay their coats beside them. As Harry consulted his menu, Edward merely glanced at his once before choosing to spend the minutes watching Harry. He reveled in the ability to be near him again. Eventually, a waitress approached their table. It was Angela.

"Hi, Harry! Oh it's great to see you back, Edward! You were missed while you were away."

Harry thought this was a rather sweet way of saying that the entire school had been curious to know where the youngest Cullen had disappeared. His absence was anything but inconspicuous.

"Thank you, Angela." Edward said with a smile. She beamed at him.

"What can I get you both?"

"Just a glass of water for me please," Edward requested politely. He nodded to Harry. The wizard flipped his menu open once more. "I'll have a turkey sandwich, and water as well."

The vampire cleared his throat and the other two looked at him.

"I've changed my mind. I would like a cheeseburger, medium, and a side of mashed potatoes. Thank you."

Angela scribbled down the order, took their menus, and left the table. Harry raised an eyebrow at his boyfriend.

"I am not eating all that," he protested.

"Eat what you can, then. Or you will make yourself sick."

Harry was reminded of Mrs. Weasley and grimaced awkwardly.

"I'm not a child," he told the vampire, and Edward smirked.

"If it weren't a disturbing thought, I would remind you that you are but an infant when compared with me," he said quietly. Harry made a face but laughed.

"Yuck. Please don't say that ever again."

Edward chuckled too and reassured him. "Don't worry, Harry. I don't view you as a child."

"Thank you."

They talked while they waited for their meals to be prepared, discussing in hushed tones the goings on of the sixteen days since the accident.

"Why haven't you been eating?" Edward wanted to know.

"I _have _been eating. Just not a lot. And that's a far cry better than you," he said defensively. "I just feel so guilty. Worried." he confided. "It makes my stomach twist, and I just can't eat a whole lot."

The vampire leaned close. "You have no reason to feel guilty. Lucius Malfoy is only free because that prison couldn't hold him. You're all the way over here. What could you have done about something going on in England?"  
But apparently this was not a comforting thing to say, as Edward realized when Harry groaned and buried his face in his hands at the mention of the prison.

"I could have been doing my job," Harry mumbled.

"You've already completed it!" Edward argued.

"What?"

"What?"

Harry let out a soft 'ohh.' "I never told you that I took a job with the ministry, did I?"

Edward quirked his head in surprise. "I think I would have remembered that."

The wizard nodded. "Ron, Hermione and I sat our NEWTs on the second of July. That was about twenty days after the final battle. You know, when the funerals were all finished up. By the fifth, me and Ron were a part of the Elite Division of the Auror Department." He buttered a roll and took a bite. The baked dough spread warmth though his mouth and down his throat.

"I mean no offense, but that doesn't really sound…"

"Fair?" Harry offered. Edward nodded.

"I'm not offended at all." Harry assured him lightly. "I agree with you one hundred percent! By code, aurors should have at least a decade on the force, more than 200 hours' fieldwork, _and _pass an exam to become one of the elite. Hell, just to join the aurors you need a few years' hard training. We definitely cheated the system, but they gave us an offer that frankly would have been rude to ignore, and honestly the ministry did need help. But Ron would never turn down an option like that. I mean, something bold, you know?" He smiled fondly.

"So, what job did you take that you feel so guilty for abandoning?"

"Well, I was doing _some _fieldwork, but mostly I was working on tracking any left over Death Eaters or Voldemort sympathizers. _Most_ of my time was spent in an office cubicle."

Edward shook his head slowly. "I don't get it," he said softly. Harry smiled at him.

"I was also privately designing new wards for the Azkaban Island. Honestly, once a prisoner leaves the walls of the fortress, they have the whole ocean open to them. That's how--"

"Your Godfather?"

"Yes!" Harry grinned. Mentioning Sirius in conversation rarely upset him. He was pleased that Edward was catching on to parts of his past. Just then Angela arrived and placed several platters on their table.  
"Enjoy, Guys," she said happily, and taking the pencil from behind her ear, she walked to a different booth to take orders.

Edward made an extravagant display of cutting his burger in half and squirting ketchup into his plate for dipping. He didn't take his eyes off Harry though, who with lazy movements lifted the pepper shaker and sprinkled one triangle of his sandwich. Still under Edward's scrutiny, he took a bite, swallowed, and continued his story.

"The wards were a prototype spell that I was working on. In theory, according to Hermione, they should have been stable, but it wasn't my responsibility to actually cast them, so I never oversaw their construction." He took another bite and Edward idly ran a spoon through his potatoes.

"I know that they were put up before I left, so I should have taken the time to check them out, but I didn't. I'm thinking that there was a glitch somewhere that Malfoy sensed. He waited for the wards to dip, and slipped out."

Harry finished the triangle of his sandwich and took a sip of his drink. Edward still wasn't satisfied. "You told me that creatures lived there. The Demon-Tours."  
The wizard nodded. "Dementors. They do live at Azkaban. But they aren't effective anymore- especially for Malfoy. They worked with Voldemort, because he didn't restrict their breeding or movement or anything. No one is sure of how they are thriving, because they have agreed to remain at the Azkaban Island, but they aren't feeding from the prisoners anymore."

"If they are painful to wizards, but not helping to keep criminals at bay, then what use are they?"

Harry laughed, pleased with how swiftly Edward could catch on. It was something he liked about him.  
"No use. But law protects them. Even if they are foul, to kill off the species would basically be genocide." He lowered his voice. "I think that the unspeakables are working on a spell to trap a man within his own mind. Then prisoners would feel a dementor's effect, and it won't matter if the dementor is there or not."

"That's disturbing."

"You just ate a raw deer."

"Touché."

Harry finished his sandwich and, surprised, found himself still hungry. He took another sip of his drink and when he placed down the cup, Edward brought a forkful of mashed potato to his mouth. Harry snorted, and the vampire gave him a smile. "Try it. They are garlic, ironically. But I'm sure it's delicious," he said softly. At this point, Harry was very grateful that the tables of the diner were spaced so that other patrons were not watching them. Edward gestured questioningly with the fork that he still held. "Fine then," the wizard conceded, and he opened his mouth. Edward slid the fork in, Harry closed his lips over it, and it was smoothly pulled back clean.

"It is good," Harry told Edward. And he took the fork for himself when Edward slid the plate across the table for him. The vampire smiled as he watched him eat his dinner.

****

When Edward's car was speeding back toward the safe house, the vampire voiced a question aloud.

"Why doesn't your magic affect me?"

He flipped on the wipers as rain began to fall steadily, and their squelching rhythm filled the quiet car.

"It does," Harry reminded him. "I mean, it's not exactly an ideal circumstance. I can cause you harm rather easily. It's my other magic that you are immune to."

"Why?"

"Why does it matter?" Harry asked with a hint of exasperation. "Does it bother you?"

"No," Edward was quick to say. He then continued softly. "Harrison, you are the most unique person I have ever come to know. I care so much for you, and I just want to understand you better. It is difficult enough that I cannot read your mind."

"Snape always said that the mind is a many layered thing. It is not a book to be read or perused at will. It's personal."

"I'm sorry."

"No, don't be." He said with a sigh. "I'm just being oversensitive. I trust you, Edward. I really do." Harry stared at him, appreciating his presence. "There are a few theories."

"Hm?"

"About why magic doesn't affect you. There are a few theories, but no one is certain. Some wizards think that vampiric skin is a sort of armor; like a dragon's, or a blast-ended skrewt's.

"A what?"

"Don't worry about it. I disagree with that idea anyway. I mean, loads of wizards together could sedate a dragon, but loads of them could cast notice-me-not's around you, and you would still see past them. I think there's a debate about the actual make-up of the vampire. Like, since _technically _you are not alive, charms can't alter your presence or something. So I can't _make_ you levitate, or silence you, but I can do things to you that _cause _it. Like sticking your tongue." He smirked playfully, reminding Edward of his first encounter with magic.

"You are always saying that you can harm me. But I just don't see how." The vampire voiced.

"Oh please, don't be sadistic." said Harry, looking out his window.

"I'm not! I honestly want to know."

The wizard signed. "I can do painful things to you with simple accidental magic apparently, but that is far from the worst of it. Unforgivable curses are just as dangerous to you as they are to any human. I don't know why exactly, but Hermione probably does. You can ask her one day- it's something to do with defying energy and matter laws; burning and re-mending your innards at high speed is wrong somehow…so I guess it doesn't matter if you are a vampire or not, it will defy the odds to make you hurt."

Edward grimaced.

"But you would not want to do that to me," He said confidently with a crooked smile.  
Harry continued to look away from him. "Not on purpose," he whispered.

Edward began a response, but then seemed to change his mind- and the topic.

"Hermione is awfully intelligent, isn't she?"

"Yeah, she is."

"Imagine, picking out our location just from hearing 'Forks.' " He said incredulously.

"She probably has a book of obscure towns and their locations or something," Harry told him seriously.

Edward chuckled. "Will they be visiting again?"

"Ron and Hermione? No."

Edward smiled broadly at this but didn't say anything.

"What are you so happy about?"

"Nothing." But his jaw quirked and his lips twitched at the corners.

"You can't possibly dislike my friends already. You saw them for what, five minutes?"

"That's not it at all," Edward assured him. "But if you ever expect me to ask Hermione any of my questions, and they aren't coming back here, you will have to take me home with you." He grinned at his own cleverness.

Harry watched his boyfriend, noting the happy look that remained on his face as he drove and decided not to mention all the ways Hermione could be contacted without leaving Forks.

"I suppose so."

****

At midnight, Edward tapped gently on the glass of Harry's window. The wizard looked up from the book he was reading and put it aside, leaning over his desk to open the latch. His vampire slid the window easily open and slipped into the room soundlessly. Edward kissed him tenderly for a moment until Harry broke away.

"Why are you so tense?"

"uhm, you don't want to know." He leaned forward to kiss him again, but Harry stepped backward, raising his eyebrows and moving to sit on the bed. "Yes I do."

Edward gave in. "I smell a werewolf."

Harry wrinkled his nose as though he could smell the part-canine too, though he was honestly just surprised. "Jacob is here? In Draco's room?"

Edward gave him a sort of half smile. "Don't worry, they aren't doing anything too extravagant. I would just rather not be aware of it at all."

Harry laughed and focusing, noticed for the first time the trace of magic that was circling them, emanating from down the hall. "I'm sorry his silencing spell isn't working for you."

Edward joined Harry on the bed and gently pressed him down so they lay on their sides, facing each other. "I guess you will just have to distract me," he smiled.

Harry leaned over and captured his smiling mouth with his own.

****

The next morning, Edward shifted slightly in the bed when Teddy began to cry, and woke Harry from his deep sleep at his side. As the wizard changed Teddy and began their morning routine Edward informed him that Draco had attempted to sneak Jacob out of the house around two, but tripped a silent alarm as they were leaving and alerted Viktor Krum, who was patrolling the yard around the house. Draco had had to stammer a weak excuse of them having been studying, and Jacob was introduced to Harry's "visiting cousin" who happened to enjoy nighttime strolls, and had an interesting preference in nightwear. When the shapeshifter was gone, the Slytherin was lectured thoroughly about having people in and out of the house at all hours of the night.

Harry laughed heartily. "He told Jake that Krum is my cousin?" Edward nodded. "So he still is unaware of your guard."

Harry sighed and placed Teddy back in his crib with a few toys and his Moony. He then walked back to his own room where he found a clean towel and a fresh pair of boxers. He pulled off his shirt, revealing his naked and scarred torso as he spoke. "I pity Draco. I know he wishes he could tell Jake who we are, but he is so frightened…" she shook his head, then glanced at his watch. "Uhm I need to shower and get ready for school."

He kissed Edward goodbye, and slowly pulled away with a shiver as the vampire's cold fingers ran across the raised scars on his back. The fingers then trailed up his side, causing him to shudder, and came to rest cupping the side of his face, cold and gentle.

"Will you tell me about them, Harrison? Some day?" Edward asked quietly.

Harry turned his face into Edward's hand and touched his lips to the palm. His answer was muffled. "Some day."

Edward kissed him once more, told him "I'll see you soon," and was out the window in seconds. Harry shivered at the blast of cold, damp air that invaded the room as his window was thrown open. Goose bumps dotted his bare chest and arms and he quickly made his way to the bathroom for a hot shower.

****

The week continued, and Edward and Harry's relationship flourished as though it had never been interrupted. They did not discuss the days that they were apart. Edward never admitted to the slaughter of his human victims, but Harry never mentioned that he suspected. The first day of Christmas vacation brought the thickest blanket of snow of that winter. Harry awoke to a soft buzzing sort of sound coming from his pillow. When he blinked back the haze of sleep, he felt Edward's cool fingers threading methodically through his chaotic mess of hair. The buzzing emanated almost silently from the vampire's chest, subtly changing pitch as the wizard listened. He tilted his chin up at his boyfriend and found his amber eyes to be closed peacefully. There was no movement behind the perfect lids, but his pale lips were moving ever so slightly, taking in and releasing air needlessly, along with sounding the same gentle tones as from his chest. After a second, the fingers in Harry's hair tightened affectionately and the buzzing vibrations stopped.

"Good morning," the vampire whispered, opening his eyes.

"Morning." Harry answered back quietly. "What were you doing?"

"ngh, nothing."

"No, really." Harry smiled and kissed his boyfriend's cold chest.

"I was singing to myself," The vampire admitted.

"Hm?"

"Yes."

"Nice." He placed his head back down against Edward's torso and the fingers resumed caressing his scalp.

"Does someone have Teddy?"

"Mhm," Edward told him. "Draco got him at about seven. He's convinced that he will say _his _name first."

"Psh, not a chance." Harry said lazily, and Edward laughed.

Though he was still young, when Teddy began referring to his stuffed wolf as "Mhnee!" the week earlier, the Slytherin had become determined to have the boy say "Draco" before he mastered anything further, such as "milk" or, (Merlin forbid!) "Harry".

"What time is it?"

Edward lifted his left arm to check his watch, then rested it on Harry's bare back, beside the healed scars. "Ten after nine."

Harry made a snort of disgust, reburied his face into Edward's shirt, and drifted back of to sleep while Edward watched over him.

Just as Harry welcomed to cover of sleep, it came to him that he had not taken his dreamless sleep the night before, and hadn't experienced a single terror in the night.

****

At lunch time, the wizard and his vampire emerged and joined Draco and Teddy in the kitchen. "Finally!" The blond exclaimed at the sight of them. He pushed a bowl of small noodles into Harry's hand and shoved him into the seat that was placed in from of Teddy's chair.

"_You _feed the monkey." And he walked over to the sink, where he wet a towel and dabbed at his silky locks, which were matted on one side by a sticky purple something.

Harry laughed. "Soooo, he _doesn't _like jelly?"

Draco scowled. "No, he loves it actually. It makes an excellent airborne projectile. I'd just moved on to pasta when you showed up, so now it's your turn."

Harry smiled at his godson and began energetically- his eyes widened comically and his voice very much a pitch that was not his own.

"Hi, Little Guy! Were you having a nice lunch with Draco?"

Teddy clapped his sticky hands with a shriek of laughter for the silly man in front of him. "Co!" he said happily.

As soon as his mouth was open, Harry pushed a piece of bowtie macaroni into his mouth. Teddy gave him a look that seemed to say 'That was a dirty trick,' but chewed and swallowed obediently. He then reached for the green bowl that Harry held. The wizard placed the bowl on Teddy's tray and observed as the first few noodles were picked by chubby fingers and made their way from the tray to the small boy's mouth. He then stood with a stretch, as though this had been a very trying process. Draco glared at him.

"Oh, come on, Dray. He's only nine months old. Don't reason with him- just trick him!"

Draco huffed. "I will not. He trusts me. _That's _why he is going to say my name first."

Harry sighed teasingly, "Hm, I dunno. 'Arrogant Prick' is a lot to expect from a kid his age."

"Just shut up," Draco said while toweling his now mussed hair. He was on his way out of the kitchen when he caught himself and turned back to them again.

"Um, Jake and I are going to Port Angeles in a few hours. The snow stopped but there's nothing to do around here… would you like to join us?"

Edward's eyebrows shot to his hairline, unable to disguise his shock, or the fact that he was impressed to have been invited along. He glanced at Harry, who shrugged.

"Sure, I guess that would be fun," the wizard answered.

Draco smiled. "Good then. I'll call Jacob." Once again he made to leave the room but this time Edward called him back.

"Hey, Draco?"  
"Yes?"  
"I'll drive us there in my brother's car. It will handle the snow better, and we can all fit."  
"That would be great. I will let Jake know. See you later." And he left.

Harry crossed the floor and jumped so that he was sitting on the counter top beside Edward, who stood leaning against it.

"Thank-you," the wizard said.

"No problem, but…"

"What?"

"Well," Edward explained seriously to the Gryffindor. "If I am going to be nice to Draco and his wolf, then it is going to be a lot of work. I might need a bit of _persuasion _to remind me."  
He turned to face Harry with a smirk. He braced his hands on either side of Harry and leaned in. Edward kissed him slowly, tasting him thoroughly as the wizard's hands came up to rest on his shoulders. He gripped Harry's waist and tugged him to the edge of the counter, standing between his legs without breaking their contact. He felt venom begin to leak at the glands in his throat but did not pull away. Harry's fingers twisted into his bronze hair and held him in place while their mouths slid together and their tongues danced. Edward managed to slip his hands beneath Harry's shirt and was gently stroking his taut abdomen with the pads of his thumbs as he held his grip on the wizard's waist.

Just then a screech of frustration sent the vampire rocketing backward from his boyfriend, his eyes wide as though he had been caught doing something naughty. They both looked over at Teddy, the source of the interruption, who gazed back innocently from his seat. His bowl was empty, flipped upside-down just beyond his short reach on the tray. Teddy looked up at his godfather, who still sat panting on the counter. The child then raised his small arms in the universal sign for "Up, please."

Harry tugged his shirt down properly where it had been slid up and frowned at the boy before he got up and freed him from the seat.

"You are _such _a marauder's son."

*****

At five in the afternoon, Harry stood in his closet, considering his options for their excursion to Port Angeles. Finally, he found himself wearing a dark green button down shirt with a rather silky feel. His pants were black, low on his hips and snug, but not skintight. As he pulled a wet comb through his ever-tangled hair, he heard Edward rumble up the drive in Emmett's large white Jeep. He abandoned his attempt at taming his hair and simply ran his fingers through it. The water gave it a slightly styled look. He left it at that, grabbed his coat, and headed downstairs taking the steps two at a time. He found Draco sitting on the couch with Jacob, who had arrived just minutes before.

" --a sitter for him?" the wolf was asking, referring to Teddy, who was scooting across the carpet on his tummy. Draco hesitated for a second too long, trying to come up with an excuse that would avoid the truth. (Yes, a bloke called Dedalus who so happens to be living with our protective guard on the invisible third floor.)

Harry entered the room and scooped up the child. "Yes, the sitter arrived just before you did, and he's in the nursery upstairs. So I'll just take this monster up there now. Be right back." And with a slight glare at Draco, he carried his godson up the steps, only pausing for a second for the third floor wards to wash over him. As usual, the guard stood before him like soldiers in barracks, and he found himself minutely less disconcerted. He merely beckoned to Dedalus and transferred the child to the older wizard's waiting arms.

"We are going to the city," he informed the guard at large. "Draco is _not_ aware of his father's escape, we _don't _know where Lucius is, and I want to take no risks. I want several agents in plain clothes, so they may be close at hand rather than at a distance. Cycle, so that at least two different men are with us at each location we might go to. Krum is not to be seen unless his appearance has been altered, as the muggle Jacob Black is under the impression that he is a relative now back in Europe. I also want the Elite undetectable. Tail at a distance, and you are _only_ to be visible if there is a direct attack. Finally, this is a _personal_ outing. You are here for protection only, and anything that is heard or seen regarding the personal lives of myself or Draco Malfoy is to remain unknown by anyone else. If I discover a breech of this confidence, I assure you that the sneak will, at the very least, never find work again. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Sir." The men intoned.

"Thank-you."

Harry ruffled Teddy's hair and kissed his forehead before leaving the hidden quarters and descending the steps back to the living room. Draco and Jake looked inquiringly at him. "Just giving some instructions," he said to excuse his delay. The pair nodded and Draco donned a rather expensive looking coat and gloves that Harry recognized as a wizarding brand.

"Let's go, Potter. We wouldn't want to keep your mosquito waiting." Harry sneered at the blond and held the door open for them as they passed through. "Yes, you're right," he said. "Wouldn't want him to think we're a pack of lazy dogs or anything."

He received twin glares as they made their way to the Jeep, which sat idling in the driveway. Harry faked a shudder. "You two are together too much. Jacob, you have that Malfoy scowl down pat." And without another slur made, Harry wrenched open the passenger door and climbed up beside Edward, who greeted him with a short kiss.

"Everyone set?" the vampire asked his passengers. The wind gusted outside, shaking a heavy dusting of snow through the air off the trees. Close by, several sharp cracks split the air. As they backed down the driveway, Jake looked out his window toward the rear of the house. "Sounds like you might have lost a branch," he commented.

"Hm, maybe." Harry replied. Looking up, he caught Draco's eye in the overhead mirror and the Slytherin gave him a calculating look. He nodded imperceptibly, confirming Draco's unasked question, and the blond too nodded in understanding. Then conversation picked up in the car and they began the hour drive to the city of Port Angeles.

* * *

NOTE: Thanks for sticking with me, Readers! Thankyou to everyone who reviewed and added to alerts. Also, thanks to the reviewer who requested that I add something about Hermione having a book of obscure town names. I can't remember who suggested it- because it was a long time ago and I can't find the email, but thanks Stranger- because I snuck it in there!  
Also, thanks to Zoius and the Devil  
Profile: .net/u/1123527/  
Who sent me a great message recently and offered some excellent constructive criticism. Just so I put it out there, eventually I will be going back and editing the points that Zoius made known to me. I want to let you all know that more messages offering comments and pointers would be greatly appreciated, because I love to know how I can improve my writing. Thanks so much, and stay tuned!!!!**  
**


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N:** Okay okay, not going to lie or make excuses... My summer vacation has been pretty AWESOME, and i was much preferring real life than the wonderful (but false) world of Fanfiction. I hope I haven't lost too many of you, and I'm sorry to say that this isn't the best of chapters. It was actually a part of a bigger one, but I decided to get this up while I had the chance. Please read, review, and enjoy. With luck I will update more frequently when school restarts and makes life suck again. Remember, I don't own anything that you recognize, including characters, locations, and SONG LYRICS/INFORMATION. None of it is mine. By the way, the uploader was being a pain in the butt which is why this isn't well spell-checked or divided into adequate paragraphing. So sorry for any difficulties it causes!

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It was a little more than an hour's drive to Port Angeles, and the ride had gone smoothly; passed with periods of discussion and companionable silence. Once free from the dense forest surroundings of Forks, Harry felt significantly lighter and was wondering why he hadn't thought to make this trip earlier. They reached the heart of the city at around six-thirty, and had a spirited debate over what sort of place they should find for dinner. It was Edward, ironically, who made the final decision by silently parking the jeep in front of a steakhouse and refusing to drive any further. When Draco, Jacob and Harry realized that they were no longer moving, they gazed out of the tinted windows to observe the establishment beyond the curb.

"'Big Al's Steakhouse?'" Draco read questioningly. He looked at the vampire who shrugged at him. The pureblood sighed.

"Works for me."

The four of them left the warmth of the car and trudged through a layer of slushy snow as they hurried to the resturaunt. Once inside, Harry's glasses fogged irritatingly and Jacob blew hot air into his boyfriend's gloved hands. As the stood waiting for a server to acknowledge them, Edward beckoned them closer to him and reached one hand into the pocket of his coat.

"Alice left these on my desk before she left with Jasper. Apparently she acquired them a while ago. So, against my better judgment…" he left the sentence hanging and drew three plastic cards from his coat. He spread them face up to reveal three very authentic- though false- identification cards. Suddenly, Jacob, Draco, and Harry were 21. They grinned at him and each took their respective card. Edward just shrugged.

"Of course, I know Draco and Harry were of age back home, so really only Fido was the issue here, but-"

"I don't even care that that was an insult," Jacob said blankly. "You just became marginally cooler… You bastard." And he held out his hand genially to the vampire, who looked momentarily taken aback before reaching out to grasp the hand. There was a soft hissing sound as the two creatures made contact- like the fizz of hot metal on ice, and though each grimaced slightly, it was an altogether friendly moment of acceptance.

"Shit," Jacob swore in amazement as he turned the card over in his hand. His own face stared up at him. "Quil and Embry will not believe _you _gave me this."

Edward smirked at him. "Don't make me regret it. You ahd better be able to hold your alcohol or you are cleaning your own vomit."

Jacob smiled. "Do you honestly doubt me?"

The vampire shrugged. "The way you look? No, I suppose not."

Music was loud in the steakhouse. A consistent heavy beat vibrated in their chests, accompanying the hits that played in a cycle over the sound system. There was a rowdy commotion by the bar, where a crowd was engaged by several flat screen televisions, which played sports highlights. The quartet was finally ushered to a booth by a harassed looking waitress with two pencils behind her left ear and another in her hand. She passed them each a menu and trotted away before any of them could make a request. They had just begun to look over their options when there was another uproar from the bar. They looked across the room to where a busty young waitress in a low-cut top was refilling drinks fro the shouting and whistling crowd. Just as quickly, the drinkers' attention was returned to the flatscreens as a memorable stunt replayed in hi-definition slow motion. Angered and appreciative shouts mingled and rose once more.

Draco scoffed and scanned his menu. "Reminds me of Father's poker nights."

Jacob immediately looked up at him. "Really?"

Draco never spoke of his family- something that, to be truthful, frustrated the wolf a bit. Since revealing himself to the blond, he had not kept any secrets, and yet he felt that he knew next to nothing about his boyfriend.

The slytherin didn't look up from his menu. "Yes. They were loud and crude. Mother always went out on those nights, and I wasn't allowed in until I'd turned eleven. The years before then, I spent every Tuesday and Thursday evening alone with My Dobby." His head then jerked up, as though shocked that he had allowed the words past his lips. Harry's head perked at the mention of the elf and caught Draco's eye.

Jacob noticed. "What's a Dobby?"

"Oh," Draco began. "Dobby was my…" he floundered for a second and Jacob raised an eyebrow.

"The butler, Dray." Harry offered. "Don't be embarrassed that you had money. You can admit it." He glared at the pureblood, who he had now rescued multiple times from his own verbal predicaments.

"A- a butler? Yes, I suppose he was. But he was also a very dear friend, so I couldn't think of the exact word for what he was. More than a butler, you know."

"Really?" Harry asked, surprised.

"Oh yes," the slytherin assured him, nodding sincerely. "Dobby was very close to me. When I was four, he took the blame when I set my Father's wardrobe on fire."

Harry winced at the thought of what sort of punishment Dobby had endured for such a thing, but Jacob snorted.

"How did you light a wardrobe on fire?"

Now Draco, apparently satisfied with his coice of a meal, slosed his menu and tapped his fingers on the cover. "I actually don't remember. I must have been frightened or something."

Jacob frowned at him. "It sounds like you were a unique child."

"You have no idea."

Yet another waitress approached their table for their orders which they each gave. Jake and Edward both ordered rather raw steaks, which made the woman grimace as she scribbled down the requests. Then she returned (after double checking their ID's with a serious look of doubt on her face) and grudgingly placed four beers on the scratched wooden table. Jake snapped the top off of his and took a sip, grinning at his fortune.

"So what were these poker nights like?"

Draco considered the question carefully, and then answered slowly. "It was loud and smoky, highly inappropriate for an eleven year old boy. Of course, I thought they were terrific at the time. And men only. You know the sort," he added to Harry. "Rabastan, Macnair, LeStrange, Greyback. Yes, men only- except for the entertainment." All of his companions made a disgusted sort of sound in their throats.

"And you attended these events?" Edward asked disapprovingly.

The Slytherin nodded. "I was invited when I turned eleven, because it made me a good host- a good Malfoy. It was Father's way of ensuring that I would know how to behave at school."

"By whoring women?" The vampire accused with his eyes narrowed.

Jacob took offense at that and put an arm around Draco's shoulders, pulling him into his side. "That's not what he said! Was it, Dragon?"

"No, it's not," he agreed. He reached up to hold the werewolf's warm fingers where they rested near his collarbone.

"I was supposed to learn my position in society. Recognize who was beneath me."

"Such as who?" Prompted Edward, and he noticeably shifted his eyes slowly from Draco Jacob.

Draco froze abruptly and glanced at Jake as well before turning his icy glare back to the vampire. "That's enough about me. I owe you nothing."

Later, when they had finished their meals and were enjoying the advantages of Edward's fake ID's, they found themselves more able to hear the loud music that blasted from all corners of the room. The sports fans had trickled out tipsily as the games ended, leaving the steakhouse marginally quieter, and the four were singing and laughing along to the lyrics between conversations.

"But I mean, seriously. 'The Gun to my Holster?' I mean, who would want to be that?" Jacob repeated emphatically.

"Of course it's dumb," Harry answered. "But I'm just saying that 'Sexy Bitch' is way worse. Here's this guy, talking bout how he wants to respect his girl, and then he makes the refrain all about how she's his sexy bitch." He slammed his bottle onto the table with a clunk as though to emphasize his point.

"At least she was sexy, mate." Draco supplied offhandedly.

"Yes, well. There's that." The music shifted seamlessly to the opening beats of a different song; this one sung by a woman. "Hush, this one's different." Harry announced.

The four of them listened intently to the lyrics as the music beat around them. "Mrs. Weasley would hate this stuff," Harry said quietly to Edward, remembering spending Christmases with Celestina Warbeck.

"It's from the debut studio album "The Fame" by the recording artist Lady Gaga," the vampire muttered to him. "It was released on August 19th, 2008 by Interscope Records."

"Mhm," Harry responded, humoring his musically inclined boyfriend with feigned interest. "What's it called?"

_I can see you standing there_

_Across the block, with_

_A smile on you mouth and_

_Your hand on your—_

"Well shit," said Draco plainly. "That proves it."

"Proves what?"

"This is a _dirty _song."

Jake stared at him in a stupor. "You just figured that out?"

"Well _yes_. I was trying to think if I could remember if there's any such thing as a 'disco stick.'"

The shape shifter snorted. "Only this one," he laughed. And without further ado, he brazenly reached down and squeezed Draco's crotch.

"Jacob!" Draco shouted in shock as he turned a deep shade of red.

Harry roared with laughter.

"Okay, that's enough. Let's get out of here before any of you really does something stupid," Edward reasoned.

They hadn't drunk much, but it was enough that Jake had dared to cop a feel in public, something that the vampire suspected the werewolf would not have attempted had he been sober. He beckoned to the waitress, but when she approached and made to hand Edward the check, Draco intercepted it. He fished an impressive leather wallet from his jacket pocket and flipped open a flap of it to reveal and excessive amount of crisp cash. With nary a glance at the total amount, he thumbed out a few bills and tucked them between a beer bottle and a glass half filled with ice. Jacob carefully watched this occur but didn't say anything. They all stood, shrugged on their coats, and left the restaurant to face the icy weather outside.

It had snowed a lot in the hours that they were in Al's Steakhouse, and the wheels of the jeep were half buried. They jumped the pile of muddy snow at the curb and Jacob and Harry hoisted themselves into the vehicle while Draco and Edward stepped into the street to get in from the other side. As the heat blew from the front and warmed the car, Jake laughed teasingly at the snow that melted in Draco's hair, causing the blond locks to become darker and plaster to his face. The pureblood pouted in annoyance and shivered when precipitation dripped from his temple and seeped down his collar. Edward stepped on the gas and the buried wheels spun uselessly, making a whirring noise in the snow.

He sighed. "Harrison…"

"No problem," the wizard told him. He then turned around and gave Draco a pointed look, which the blond understood at once. "Hey Jake, let's play a game," he said as he turned to face the Quileute. Jake looked thrilled. "Okay."

"Alright, I'm going to cover your eyes," he said softly.

In the front seat, Edward pretended to choke.

Draco placed his hands as he said he would, warming them against the werewolf's heated skin. Then his face became blank with realization that he had no idea where to take this 'game.'

"uhmm, Now count backwards from 30."

"Why?"

Draco looked around uselessly. "It's a surprise," he ansered.

Harry threw him an exasperated "That's all you have?" look and as he grabbed the door handle he waved his wand in a lazy motion.

"Oh shit!" Jacob exclaimed as soon as Harry stepped out of the car.

Draco jumped but was careful to keep his hands in place. "What?"

"Damnit, Dray! Billy! I was supposed to, supposed to-" he struggled against the hands covering his eyes. "I don't remember! Jesus, it was important!"

Draco hushed him and glancing out the window, he checked Harry's progress. The sidewalk was empty- holiday shoppers suddenly rushing to their homes to accomplish forgotten but "important" tasks.

"It's alright," he attempted to calm his partner. "We will get you home in a minute."

"No, **NOW**!" The wolf roared. "He needs me! I was meant to…gah!" he twisted violently and irrational panic came into his voice. The slytherin looked over his shoulder again to see Harry out the window, melting snow with streams of hot air from his wand. He hoped he would hurry. It wasn't normal for muggles to resist a repelling charm, and he didn't know what would happen if he continued to withhold Jacob, who was now reaching the point of desperation.

"God Damn it, Draco! Get your _fucking _hands off of me!" he shouted.

Shocked, the blond dropped his hands. Jake turned furious eyes on him as they sat face to face on the wide back seat. "This is important! Why the hell are you being like this! Hell, you **_never listen _**to m-

Draco caught him mid-speech in a searing kiss and the werewolf eagerly reciprocated. Draco felt Jake's body relax entirely and he leaned backward until his back was nestled bearably at the corner of the car and the back of the seat. Jake followed him, not breaking their contact, and easily covered the smaller body with his own. Edward clenched the steering wheel determinedly and stared through the front windows, wishing hopelessly that he could magically become deaf.

The Boy Who Lived pulled open his door and heaved himself up as he reattached his wand to the holster on his forearm. He glanced into the backseat, where the couple's frantic kiss had become slow and passionate; Jacob's fingers threading gently through the damp hair at the base of the pureblood's neck. The black haired wizard turned his baffled gaze to his boyfriend. Edward shrugged at him.

"Draco's distraction."

Harry snickered. "Oh."

"Yes."

"Shall we ignore them?" Harry asked, and he made a show of relaxing into his seat with his hands behind his head.

"We shall."

Without bothering to look over his shoulder at the road, Edward pulled out of the space and onto the main road, the wheels making a terrific splash as they spun through lakes of freshly melted snow.

The drive back to Forks began uneventfully. Slow traffic gave way to open roads as they left the city limits, and soon they were traveling speedily down a black stretch of road with at least a mile's distance between themselves and any other vehicle ahead of or behind them. Jacob and Draco had cooled down in the backseat. They somehow managed to switch positions, so that Jacob's bulk was now settled caddy-cornered to the seat and window. His left leg hung off the seat while his right was extended along the length of the bench, and Draco reclined comfortable between them, leaning his back against Jake's front. Their low conversation reached the front seats quiet and muffled, broken intermittently by the soft _snick _of a sweet kiss or sigh of content. Harry's left hand was clasped tenderly in the chilled grip of his boyfriend who was driving one-handed. The wizard's speech was mildly slurred as the alcohol he drank worked through his system, and Edward laughed with him as he talked aimlessly.

"So you know what I mean, right?" he asked finally.

Edward gazed at him, raised an eyebrow, then chuckled softly and replied. "You are drunk, Harrison."

His counterpart nodded in agreement. "Yes. But it makes sense, you know?"

"Mm," Edward said noncommittally.

"Well, _you've _not been drinking, so you wouldn't be. And Jake- he's a bit gone, but look at the size of him, you know? He's still fine." He sighed dramatically and looked out the window at the thickening trees that lined the road as they drove. Wet snow was falling steadily and was building around the lip of his window.

"'nd Draco's been having drinks since he turned old enough to be a proper Malfoy, so he's fine too."

"You've never had a drink before?"

"I have!" the wizard insisted indignantly. "Seamus shared whatever his cousin sent to him. I think we were fourteen. Yeah, yeah. Fourteen, because we got real sick after the dragon." He continued to stare into the swirling darkness beyond his window, but there was something else there now too. It was intermingling with the falling flakes, but its shape was rippling and contorting as though neither water nor gas. He squinted.

"Edward, pull over here."

"What?"

"Please, pull over."

The vampire sighed and pulled the car sharply to his right, and as they crossed over the side-lane ridges, the buzzing and sudden jolt of the vehicle drew an

"Ouch," "Sorry," "no, it's not your fault." From the back seat.

Harry turned to face the disoriented couple. Jacob was looking over startled Draco, who put two fingers to his bottom lip, which had been bitten when they hit the warning strips. As the Gryffindor opened his mouth to explain their sudden need to pull over, Draco gently pulled his fingers away and winced when he noticed them coated with blood. Edward sucked in a breath, deeply and audibly before he ceased breathing entirely and clenched his jaw. Harry carefully extricated his fingers from the vampire's tightening grip.

"Edward?" The pale face creased in concentration and Edward shook his head very slowly.

"Go," Harry urged him. "Please. You can go into the woods right here. We will meet you later."

Draco had replaced his fingers at his lip, trying to staunch the potent flow, while Harry encouraged Edward to leave before, well, something. Finally, Harry reached across Edward's rigid form, lifted the lock, and in a swift pull/push motion, unlatched the door and opened it outward a few inches. A chilled blast of air encompassed the car's occupants and the vampire shuddered again as the tangy scent of Draco's pure blood swept around him on the breeze. He opened his eyes minutely and focused a burgundy gaze on Harry, who was still half across his lap.

"I'm sorry," he choked. And quick as a flash he was gone and the driver side door was swinging.

"Jacob, please calm down." Draco's voice, muffled, said. Harry faced them once more. The couple was sitting upright in their seats, Draco holding a stained handkerchief to his mouth and Jake trembling like a leaf.

"He was going to-" the wolf began.

"He was not!" Harry defended hotly. "He's stronger than that, so don't you even suggest that he was going to snap!"

"What are we even doing? Why did we pull over to begin with?" The werewold demanded as his shaking calmed.

"I-"

Harry looked out the window and locked his eyes on the silver shape still drifting near the tree line. His eye caught a brown street sign, splattered with wind-blown snow, but recognizable as depicting two figures with backpacks, carrying walking sticks.

"There's a hiking path. I thought I'd fancy a walk." He told them. He was met with blank stares.

"Just come on," he stated heavily, and he wrenched his door open and stepped out into the damp winter. Harry turned up his collar and tucked his left hand into his right sleeve, his right into the left, where he kept a cautious grip on his wand. Behind him, he heard the jeep's doors slam in unison and listened as Jake's and Draco's footsteps crunched toward him. They stood, huddled silently and awkwardly, none of them really knowing what they were going to do. Luckily, the alcohol they had consumed seemed to have affected Harry more than the others, and his bladder made an excuse to break away of them.

"There's a trail this way. Let's see where it goes. But I'll be right behind you- I've gotta go have a piss."

And he trudged a good twenty feet to the left of them and stepped into the brush. Here, he dropped his fly, took care of his business, and stumbled further into the trees where he found what had called him from the car. A patronus sat patiently, nestled between two logs, and when Harry nodded, the badger opened its mouth and delivered its message.

"Mr. Potter. The guard has detected a magical signature in the area, something that doesn't belong to anyone we work with. The elite and half the team are tracking the signal based on the point of apparation where the signature first appeared. It is about two miles south of our current location."

The badger fizzled out and Harry growled. That had been the least informative message he had ever received- if he didn't count the nearly nonexistent letters he suffered from the Order before 5th year.

"Diggory!" he hissed. "Show yourself if you're here. And anyone else too!"

Within a few moments, several men had lifted disillusionment charms, stepped out of the trees, and congregated around Harry, who was reminded of the Death Eaters responding to the call of their master.

"Had a few drinks, Potter?" One of them chuckled, and the Gryffindor blushed, noting that he had to remember that these men watched everything he did when away from home. He reconsidered. This was nothing like the death eaters. None of them would have commented upon watching Voldemort empty his bladder against a snowdrift.

He looked to Amos, the hufflepuff who the badger most likely belonged to, and winced internally when he recognized the crystal color of the man's eyes were precisely the same as his son's. Harry used his wand to clear and dry a fallen log, and then sat upon it. He replaced his wand back up to his arm and tugged his sleeves down over it to embrace the heat of the warm coat he wore.

"So what's going on?"

Edward heard her coming to him, but waited patiently for her approach. When the footsteps stopped in front of him, he raised his glazed eyes to her face, but did not stop feeding from the slowing artery that pulsed warm, sweet nectar into his eager mouth. He kept his eyes on her, and pierced his elongated canines deeper in a short thrust that downward. The deer's legs twitched feebly as the last of its lifeblood was drained. The vampire kept his iron jaw locked around the animal's jugular for a few more moments, suckling until the flesh grew cold in his mouth. Then he retracted and lowered the corpse to the ground. He had learned long ago not to look into the eyes of his kills. The glassy, horrified gaze was eerie, and for some reason the deer always made it worse. He stood up and brushed his hands down his front, knowing that he wouldn't have a speck of anything on his person, but doing so anyway. She huffed and placed her hands on her slim waist. "Are you quite finished?"

"Yes, thank you." He answered cheekily. "What are you here for?"

"Alice had a vision," Rosalie informed him.

"Oh?" They began walking in no direction in particular, side by side. "I thought she and Jasper were in Alaska this week?"

"They _are,_ you lovesick twit. Why do you think _I'm_ delivering the message?"

He would ignore her attitude for now, he told himself. "So what did Alice See?"

"She said it was fuzzy."

"Regardless. It must be substantial for her to make you track me here."

"Must be."

"Well, what is it?" he asked, clenching his fists."

"She told me to say, 'hightail it back to Harry as soon as you can, and watch his butt.'"

Edward's eyes widened, and then narrowed.

"You really are a piece of work," he ground out thickly.

The statement didn't faze her. She huffed at him.

"Really, because I want to spend _my _existence passing on the message for _you_ to eye up your human boyfriend's backside?" She said sarcastically.

"It's a warning, Rose! She's not telling me to check out his ass, and you know that!" he retorted furiously.

"As if you wouldn't mind," she accused. "And if he's in so much danger, why are you still here?"

"I'm going," he said as he turned. "Go home, Rosalie."

"Gladly."

She turned on her heel and sprinted from the woods, and Edward felt his head spin as everything else seemed to move much slower while she ran. Then she was gone and time returned to him. He closed his eyes and tilted up his chin, inhaling deeply and slowly. He caught the scent that meant so much to him now, and deduced that his boyfriend was south of him, back closer to the road, but in the trees all the same. He growled a bit, thinking that he should tell Harry to be careful wandering into the woods when a vampire was feeding, but he knew the wizard wouldn't appreciate the warning. He breathed deeply once more, and after realizing that Harry seemed to be with several other people, he sprinted off in that direction to discover what was happening.

**NOTE: **Hey Readers! I am very sorry for leaving you hanging for like, the whole summer, but like I said I was enjoying life and as great as fanfiction is, I didn't want to make time for it! I will say again that this story will never be abandoned and WILL BE FINISHED. **Oh, and if you are about to add this story to alerts or whatever, could you also just leave a quick review? honestly, something like "yay" "boo" "good" or "sucky" will make me pleased. **Thanks so much for sticking with me thus far! I hope to be updating more frequently once school starts and makes life sucky once more. THANKS AGAIN!


	26. Chapter 26

A/N: Thanks for sticking with me! I was so happy to get your reviews! Let's try that system again- if you are about to add this story to alerts or favorites, also please take the 30 seconds to rattle off a quick review. You can even do it anonymously! "yay," "nay," I'm up for anything. Thanks so much! Oh, and this is a disclaimer. I don't own what I'm writing.

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"Hmm. Would you rather… dress in drag for a day or lick peanut butter off of a hobo's foot?"

"The second one," the reply came without a second's hesitation.

Draco slowly faced the Quileute with a raised eyebrow of astonishment.

"I enjoy peanut butter." Jacob rationalized with a shrug.

Draco laughed and squeezed the fingers that were laced through his. "It's your turn now."

"Alright. Uhm, if you were a mythical creature, what would you be?"

The two turned a bend in the path and reached a bench that had a healthy layer of snow piled on it. Jake bent and swept the accumulation to one side and sat down, pulling Draco down to straddle his lap. Draco kissed him sweetly while he thought.

"Something mythical, as in something magic that doesn't exist? Like a werewolf?"

Jacob laughed. "Well, we know that vampires and werewolves exist, so pick something different."

Draco considered for a bit longer and Jake had to laugh again. "Jeez, Babe. Don't hurt yourself, it's a game!"

"…What if I wanted to be a wizard?"

Jake grinned. "With a hat?" he asked cheekily as he swept damp hair out of his eyes with a casual shake of his head. Draco stuffed his cold hands deeper into the pockets of Jacob's coat. He rubbed them against his boyfriend's hips, feeling his heat radiate even through the layers of fabric separating them. "Only on certain occasions," he answered seriously.

"Hm." Jacob seemed to consider this. "Well, I guess you can be a wizard."

"I need your permission?" Draco scoffed.

"Excuse me, but if you had said 'unicorn,' then we would have had a problem."

Draco sneered as though he couldn't condone such a feminine thought. He then lifted his left leg and rolled off of Jacob so that they were sat side by side on the bench. The creaking sound of snow being crunched beneath his feet echoed around them in the still, dark woods as his footprints stamped the snow. He was thankful for the insulation provided by his dragon-hide boots and smiled to himself; oh, the perks of having the top-of-the-line.

"Hey Jacob?"

Said shape shifter turned to face him, he had been craning his neck over his shoulder to examine their surroundings. "What?"

"What if I told you that-

"Hang on," Jake interrupted.

Draco fell silent. The trees behind the bench rustled faintly and in a split second Jacob was on his feet. He whipped out a strong arm and reeled backward as he snagged the torso of a sprinting Edward Cullen from seemingly nothingness. There was a crack like a gun being fired as they made contact and Jake shouted out. He stumbled back and gripped his elbow with his right hand as a grimace twisted his face. "What are you doing here?" he bit out, cradling his injured arm at an odd angle. Edward shook back his shaggy hair and wrinkled his nose at the werewolf. "I've been told there's trouble with Harry. Just let me go."

"Trouble? He was taking a leak!" Jake protested. Edward raised an eyebrow. "Either he's in trouble now, or he will be. Either way, I'm going." He turned away from the couple and continued on through the woods, branches whipping his person as he moved swiftly through the growth.

"Is your arm alright?" Draco asked his companion.

"It will be. It looks like a clean enough break and we heal rapidly," Jake answered. He felt his arm tenderly with his large fingers. "Come on," he beckoned after a moment, and Draco followed him as he ducked off the path and followed the trail of broken foliage that Edward left behind.

.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.

"So the important question is, is this witch or wizard a threat?" The Gryffindor was asking a group of men.

"Ah," the stalker thought to himself. "Of course he has a guard."

The man shifted heavy branches away from his face and peered closer, straining his ears. He didn't risk an eavesdropping charm, having not used magic since the initial apparation which had been some distance from his current location, some time ago. He was wary of his signature being tracked, and it seemed that he had good reason to be. He felt frigid water seep through the thin soles of his ministry-provided footwear. Lifting first his right, then his left foot from the icy ground to wiggle his infected toes, he offered each limb a precious few seconds' reprieve from the snow he stood in.

So they knew he was here. Well, they didn't know who_ he_ was. Yet. And they didn't know that he was a mere few meters from where they huddled, _planning. _The man scoffed mentally. What an inadequate bunch the ministry really was. Not a drop of solid ability had entered the auror program in the last decade. He clenched a black wand tighter in his stiff, gloveless grip and counted the men again.

He crouched lower, curling a bit and allowing the little warmth he held to re-circulate back through his emaciated body. He cursed softly when he felt the brambles that scratched his shins snag firmly on the frayed edge of his thin, matted robe. He kicked furiously with his foot until the thorns released their gnarled hold, and he hardly felt it when blood ran freely down his numb leg to stain the fresh white snow.

Eleven. There were eleven in all, including Potter, who happened to look entirely too comfortable. He wasn't even holding a wand, and each of his hands was tucked into the opposite's sleeve.

"Yes," he thought. "Always too confidant."

He again moved the low hanging branches away from his line of sight and raised his wand, aiming carefully for the man who was talking to the Boy-Who-Lived. He recognized him. It was Amos Diggory, of the auror department; the man who outlived his own boy.

He smirked.

The green light flared from the depth of the trees and raced toward Amos with the rushing sound of death to accompany it. The men in the clearing had only time for their eyes to widen before the jet struck the man in the center of his torso. There was a half-shout, an uttered cry from someone's lips, before Diggory slumped solidly to the ground; his gaze as shocked and empty as his son's had been.

Lucius sniffed in satisfaction and ducked low, peering through the filthy hair that hung in his face. Now Potter was on his feet, his wand drawn. He stood in an offensive stance, staring into the trees a good 15 feet to the left of where the killer was actually crouched. Two men fell to their knees beside Diggory and searched him for a pulse. Malfoy crept sideways toward where the Gryffindor stood, and waited patiently for something- he didn't yet know what it would be. Eventually, Harry turned away from the trees, looking behind him to glare at his comrades who remained beside the corpse of Amos.

"You are a fool if you think you can help him," he called to them.

Lucius took his chance as the Gryffindor spoke. He moved swiftly from his place and raised his arm as he crashed through the brush, a deadly curse on his lips.

And then the pain erupted. He first felt impact on his right side, then a scraping, digging, answering pain flaring on his back. Blazing golden eyes firmly stared into his grey ones, and he felt more than heard a deep growl rip from the chest of his assailant. The bark of the tree to which he was pinned cracked against his back and his face twisted with the shock of the contact.

"Is this him?" the one who held him demanded. Lucius felt hands, icy as the snow, grip the collar of his robe and press into him firmly, strong enough to create a heavy pressure yet gentle enough to not splinter his sternum or ribs. He squirmed pitifully and had his breath shaken from him in punishment.

"That's him, Edward." Potter confirmed. "Lucius Malfoy."

Anger flashed in the eyes of the man called Edward as he bent his head to speak with the wizard he held.  
"You've caused me a lot of difficulty and pain, you know."

Lucius laughed tightly, gasping for breath at the same time as it was pressed from his lungs. "You think so?" he rasped haughtily. "You don't know _pain,_" he whispered. He flicked his right hand and hissed loudly "_Crucio._"

The world around them erupted as Edward's screams echoed though the trees. He lay on the ground, writhing and twitching; the nerves which had not felt pain in a century were suddenly alight with a fire his being could not endure. Unbearably loud, inhuman shouts of agony rent the air and Lucius stood watching calmly, his wand trained with precision on his victim.

.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.

Draco followed obediently as Jacob's bulk crashed through the dense forestry in their way. He couldn't decide if he was relieved or infuriated that he had been interrupted in the moment he gained courage to spill his secrets to the werewolf. Suddenly screams split the silence around them, and Draco recognized the pain expressed with it as the stuff of his nightmares- the stuff of his memories. But, no… Who would be doing such a thing?

Jake turned to face him swiftly as the shouts continued. "That's Cullen," he said, his tone amazed. "That's got to mean there's another vampire with them. What else could make him scream like that?" he ambled onward, picking up his pace and Draco sped up to grasp his hand and walk beside him. Now at a bit of a run, they wondered what would meet them when they reached the source of the screaming; which had not ceased, but had taken on a hoarse quality. Draco strained his ears to catch something other than the agony, and he knew by the way that Jacob's head was cocked slightly to the left, his boyfriend was doing the same.

And then a shout accompanied the cacophony that assaulted their ears.

"Expelliarmus!"

Jake looked at him excitedly. "Did you hear that? Latin! Maybe it's the Volturi! I could phase, and see what's going on, maybe I could do something!"

"No, Jake. Don't do that." Draco felt for his wand, secured as always on his left arm, and felt comforted by the feel of it. He was armed.

"Why not?" Jacob demanded. They continued to advance, and both noticed that the trees were spacing- they were approaching a clearing, and without saying anything they both slowed their pace.

"I just think that it could be dangerous," Draco said quietly.

Jacob stopped walking. "Could be dangerous? Of course it could be. There's a _vampire _screaming bloody murder over there. God damn it, Draco. What the hell's the matter with you lately?"

Draco turned to face him. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means you've been acting weird the past while, and I want to know why. You're titchy, like you want to say something all the time but won't spit it out. Tonight you're talking about your father one second, and nothing the next, and now you want me, a werewolf whose _purpose is to fight and kill vampires, _to investigate one screaming his head off, because it 'could be dangerous.'"

The pureblood felt recognition wash over him. "You don't trust me!" he said accusingly.

Jake was quiet for a second in which he worked his jaw and licked his lips once. Neither of them seemed to notice that the screaming had stopped.

"No. I don't," the wolf admitted.

He turned away and headed toward their destination once more. He took off his shirt and folded it messily before laying it on a branch for safekeeping. He began to toe off his shoes when Draco spoke hesitantly from behind him.

"My father is in prison."

Jake turned to look at him.

"He's a criminal. His execution is set for this summer."

Draco eyed the trees to his right, not looking Jacob in the face. He flinched when the werewolf snorted disbelievingly.

"Of course he is," the Quileute bit at him sarcastically. "That's convenient. That's why I can't meet him, is it? Tell me, Draco. Have you _ever _told me the truth?"

The slytherin stayed silent.

"You disgust me, Draco Malfoy." Jacob spat. He kicked off his shoes and turned away half-clothed to head into the clearing.

Draco looked up at the back of the werewolf and crunched through the snow to catch up with him. He reached out to grab a warm arm and let go quickly when his grasp was shaken off. "Fine. Don't trust me. Just listen to me. Humor me, for a little while. You stay here and let me go first. And if anything gets me, I'll have deserved it. Please."

Jake wouldn't make eye contact with him. He looked around as though an answer would come to him from his surroundings. Finally, he breathed in angrily through his nose and held it before meeting his gaze. "Fine." He said shortly, and he leaned comfortably against the thick trunk of a tree and didn't look at him again.

Draco nodded. "Thanks," he said quietly. And then he sprinted away toward the voices they had heard.

.:.:.:.:.

Draco emerged from the trees and entered into a nightmare. Edward Cullen lay squirming in the snow, panting as a viscous clear liquid leaked from his slack mouth and trailed down his jaw to stain his collar. Across the clearing one of the guard was spreadeagled on the ground, his eyes staring lifelessly and his skin tainted a faint gray against the white of the pure snow. Harry and the other members of the guard stood facing a man, their wands focused steadily in a warning not to move. Draco froze.

"Father," he whispered in disbelief.

His blond hair was matted and uneven, as though a sloppy severing charm or a dulled blade had been used to keep it mostly at bay. It hung in limp curtains around his wasted, rugged, once-handsome face, and some of his scalp was visible where it had fallen out in chunks and strands. He wore prison robes; ministry issued, thin and gray, charmed to be impossible for the wearer to remove himself so as to make the odd escapee more easily recognized. The robes were ragged and stained at the lower half, most likely from scrapes on his legs and from trailing against the ground. He had an odor to him. It didn't reach the wizards in the clearing, but it was known that he was filthy, and so he stank. His face was thin- disgustingly so, with hollowed cheeks and a protruding jawbone, and yet he retained the manic glint in his eye that had appeared there after his first stay in Azkaban- around the same time that he informed his only son that he would become a loyal Death Eater like his relatives before him. Draco had been fifteen.

The younger Malfoy noticed his father's wand lay just feet from its owner, close enough for a wandless summoning charm to win it back.

"You," he said quietly. "It _was_ you."

Lucius smirked and inclined his head. "You knew it was. I am surprised you didn't report me."

Draco shook his head. "Deep down, I suppose. But I wouldn't believe it."

"Draco, what is going on?" Demanded Harry. Draco felt around his collar for a necklace that hung there always. "I felt him. A-a week ago, at the Manor. I didn't think it could be him though- you, you would have told me if he was…" he trailed off at the guilty look on Harry's face and Lucius laughed.

"When?" Draco asked sharply.

"The same time Edward left," Harry admitted. The vampire on the ground groaned at the reminder.  
"What do you mean you felt him?"

Draco shook the necklace. "I mean that I feel it here, when someone enters the Manor. I assumed the ministry were conducting searches again!"

"Why would you assume that?" Harry's voice rose to a shout.

"Well, you didn't see fit to inform me that my own Father has escaped Azkaban Prison!" Draco shouted back. He faced his father angrily and pulled his wand from its sheath, holding it delicately in his right hand. "Why didn't anyone tell me?" he asked the group at large.

"You are finally happy, Draco! I didn't want to ruin it," the Gryffindor explained.

"Well thank you for your concern, Potter, because I am absolutely thrilled now; facing the man who made my childhood hell, in the middle of these god-forsaken woods, whilst dressed as a damned muggle!" his shout rose to a crescendo and his voice broke on the last word, black sparks spraying from his wand in his fury. His chest heaving, Draco regained control over himself and gritted his teeth. "What are you looking at," he ground out to his father, who was staring just beyond his son's shoulder.

"Don't end a sentence with a preposition, Draco." The prisoner's offhand admonition seemed well versed and Draco scowled. And as realization welled in Lucius' eyes, he smirked. "Tell me, my son. What have you done to honor our Master since His tragic demise?"

"You know I have done nothing in the Dark Lord's name, Father."

The man tutted and shook his head slowly. "Such a shame. Nothing since that raid on the muggle children's home in London."

Draco paled.

"Ah, you remember?"

"I couldn't forget, you sick bastard," Draco spat.

Lucius tutted again. "I should think not! How could one forget such good _fun_?"

Draco's anger flared and he raised his wand, pulling it violently through the air in a slashing motion. Lucius' eyes widened and he tucked into himself. He felt the curse split through his side and continue past him, cutting through the thick trees. His blood eagerly leaked from the gruesome wound in his torso, soaked the shredded cloth of his robe and splashed the fresh snow a vibrant red. Pressing one hand curiously to the wet and sticky warmth he allowed a grimace to twist his face.

"Ah ah ah, Draco," the elder said playfully, he wagged a bloody finger as though punishing a child. He staggered manically and his torn robes shifted to reveal the extent of the wound he now bore. The paper-like skin of his thin abdomen was gouged away, exposing massacred tissue and a hint of white bone. Lucius covered himself again with the bloody hand and kept his balance.

"No magic in front of the _muggle," _he hissed, and he smiled triumphantly as Draco, horrified, turned to come face to face with the shocked gaze of Jacob Black.

In a flurry of commotion, several cracks split the air and the rest of the guard materialized in the clearing. As white smoke billowed from beneath them, there was another crack and Lucius Malfoy was gone in a cloud of darkness. Draco had not moved a muscle. His wand was still gripped tightly, held offensively in front of him as though frozen there while he stared and was stared at. His eyes were locked with Jacob's, who was shaking his head slowly, his confusion and fear immediate in his gaze. So lost was he that when Harry began to shout it sounded as though he were screaming from under water.

"How the hell did he get away? Have you no tact? You are the elite! The best! Has no one taught you stealth? Your appiration just cost us his capture! Draco! Someone! _You_," he pointed at the group of guards still standing over Amos, who looked startled and panicked.

"You can't have expected us to do anything, Potter. With you disarming him and the Malfoys ranting, what was our job to be in that?"

"I don't know, you stupid man!" he shouted, sounding furious. "Snap his wand, set wards…" he dropped himself into the snow beside Edward. "…something! I'm sorry!"

The clearing was eerily silent while Edward gathered himself and Harry breathed heavily and unevenly. After a moment, the boy who lived spoke.

"I want the elite to return the body to England. You will go to Shaklebolt. Tell him to tell the press that Diggory was killed in the line of duty- on an auror assignment. Give him to his wife. Have him buried with honors next to Cedric. Take care of anything you need, then return to the safe-house, You have three days. Go."

The elite members of the guard somberly approached Amos. One bent and gently closed the still-staring eyes, another retrieved the hufflepuff's wand from the snow and tucked it into the inner breast pocket of its owner's cloak. Then they levitated the corpse, gripped it securely, and disapperated from the place.

When they were gone, Harry turned to another man. "Go back to the house," he hesitated and looked over to Draco and Jacob, who were still motionless though Draco had begun to whisper what sounded like a plea to listen. Jake continued to shake his head.

"and floo the ministry. I want a professional obliviator under oath from the unspeakable department," he ordered hollowly. The man nodded, and then he too was gone.

"Are you alright?" the Gryffindor asked his boyfriend. He reached out and wiped venom from Edward's chin with the cuff of his sleeve. "Yes," he vampire said. "I'm not used to feeling pain, that's all. I forget what it is like to experience."

Harry shook his head. "That's not _all._ You were under the cruciatus. That curse isn't just pain, Edward. It's a torture beyond what anyone should experience."

"Have you cast it?" Edward asked curiously.

"Yes." Harry answered. He didn't elaborate, but the vampire tugged him forward and pressed their lips together softly. "I'm fine now," he said confidently.

They stood together and once more Harry addressed the rest of his guard. "Go home and tell Dedalus to check the wards around the house. I don't want Lucius finding his way to our home. We will need the obliviator when we arrive home, so make him welcome. You two," he pointed out two random men. "Start tracking Malfoy's signature again. I know tracking's not your forte yet, but give it a shot. He most likely will have apperated to several points before reaching his destination, so be quick before you lose the trail. Good luck." The final two men left in a cloud of white. Harry leaned back against his boyfriend, taking comfort in his secure arms. "Edward." He whispered. "This is all my fault."

.:.:.:.:.:.

"Please listen to me, let me explain." Draco urged quietly, his lips barely moving. Jacob took a step back from the wizard, hesitantly, as one would approach a wild animal. "I don't know what is going on," he answered brokenly. He looked over Draco's head to the trees where a bright light had ripped from the blond and cut through a man and trees like butter. The snow was colored red from the violent attack.

"But I don't _want_ you to explain it to me."

* * *

Note: HEY! Let me know your opinions, I know many of you probably won't be happy with me, and I might have just lost a bunch of readers. This chapter was really difficult to write, because it sort of sets the stage for how the rest of the story will go. Everything sort of revolves around what goes on in such a pivitol scene, so I hope it's okay. Personally, I don't like it much, but i couldn't find any more to change that would make it better.

So please! Let me know your opinions... Up next, back at the safe house, and probably some skipped time. I'm not entirely sure yet.

THANKS SO MUCH!  
-darkestAngel13


	27. Chapter 27

Hello, Friends! I know, it's been a while! So sorry, but I am rather enjoying reality at the moment and haven't had the time -or patience ;) - to sit down and type this up. On the other hand, im constantly writing for this story on my ipod, and only need the time to upload the chapters. I hope you like where the story is going. I am aware that some of you haven't been to happy with me :( That's okay though! Please review and tell me your opinion. Remember, nothing you recognize belongs to me. Oh, and have I mentioned that I wouldn't mind some artwork to go along with this? If anyone wants to draw something, let me know!

* * *

[Days later, Christmas Eve Morning]

Jacob phased back, landing on his two muscular legs and feeling the bizarre tingle of thick fur leave his body. Then he groaned and clutched his temples, overcome once again by one of his increasingly frequent migraines. Beside him, Paul appeared in human form, tying a pair of shorts around his slim waist and offhandedly tossing another pair at his naked 'brother.' He looked up curiously when he heard the wet slap of material hit the slushy snow at their feet.

"Jake?"  
Said werewolf groaned.  
"Oh, Jake. C'mere."

Paul knelt and scooped some of the cold slush from the ground, and before it could melt entirely in his heated grip he tilted the handful over Jacob's hairline. The icy water poured over Jacob's hot skin and he moaned gratefully for the millisecond of pain relief. Quickly, Paul crouched and repeated the action. After a while, Jake gently pushed his friend away and took a deep breath. He pulled on the shorts that lay getting wet in the snow and secured them around his hips. Then he sat against a tree and rubbed his temples again.  
"Paul they are getting worse," Jacob groaned out.  
"I can see that. Last week there were headaches, but this is serious, man. I'm worried about you...Are you okay now?"  
Jacob stretched his neck and rolled his shoulders as the throbbing in his head receded. "...Yeah, I think so. It goes away after a bit."  
"What triggers the pain, do you think?" Paul asked curiously.  
Jake glared weakly at him. "gee, Paul. My imprint broke up with me several days ago, but I have no idea what I did wrong for it to happen..." he sighed. "No one knows what happens if an imprint denies his mate, but I think I'm learning right about now. Every time I phase I get this pain- maybe I'm losing the ability or something. I dunno."  
"So, it's heartbreak?" Paul asked softly, his character suddenly not his own. "That's- that's really sad," he said seriously. Jacob sighed again. "I don't think _the headaches _are heartbreak, man. The pain I keep feeling when I think about him, the fact that one of his jackets is still hanging on the doorknob in my bedroom, the fact that I'm freaking unable to sleep at night because Billy would hear me cr..."  
He cut himself off and coughed uncomfortably." _That_ is the heartbreak."  
The two shapeshifters made themselves comfortable against a tree with a split trunk. The snow not bothersome to their heated bodies, they tilted their heads back against the bark behind them and breathed in the cold winter air.

"Thanks, Paul." Jacob said quietly. His friend said nothing, but squinted against the strong sun reflecting from the whiteness around them. He patted the Quileute's shoulder in a gesture of support, and then they waited for the others to arrive.

* * *

"Edward, I haven't been there since-"  
"Sh," the vampire shushed him before they could discuss that incident. The two were laying on their sides on the floor of the living room. Teddy squirmed happily between them, clutching Moony in one chubby fist and diligently biting one of Edward's cold fingers. "They love you. And so do I. It's Christmas, Harry. Bring Teddy and celebrate  
with us. Besides, you can't say no; Esme's been cooking for you all morning!"  
The Gryffindor ducked his head. "Why'd you let her do that? I don't want to put anyone out..."  
"Harrison," Edward stated seriously. "I'd like to see you try to get Esme out of the kitchen when she thinks she's got the opportunity to cook. Trust me, it's no burden on her."

The wizard continued to argue.

"My blood though. Your family shouldn't have to be on edge in their own home. And I shouldn't leave Draco alone after all this."  
Edward pinned Harry against the floor by his shoulders, (careful to arch his abdomen so as to not squish the baby) and leaned in so that their noses brushed. "No one," he growled "Could have a stronger pull to your blood than me. But you do not care that I must resist you. I can handle it- my family, can handle it. Listen, Harrison. For your whole life you've been bending to the needs of others. First your relatives, then the wizarding world, keeping Draco out of prison, taking on the responsibilities of fatherhood at 18 without ever having known childhood yourself. Please, allow someone to take care of you for  
once. Bring Teddy and celebrate his first Christmas with him, but do not resign yourself to looking after Draco Malfoy, because he made his own decision in obliterating that wolf."  
Harry smirked.  
"What?"  
"Obliviated."  
"Come again?"  
"_Obliviated._ Draco agreed to have Jake _obliviated_. Not obliterated. That sounds messy."  
Edward chuckled. "Is it that important?"  
"Yes."  
"Fine."  
"Fine."  
"What? Fine, what?"  
"_Fine,_ Teddy and I will join your family for Christmas tonight." He stretched up his neck and pecked the corner of Edward's mouth where his lips twitched into a half grin.  
"Now get off of me. You're bloody cold."  
Edward rolled gently off of his boyfriend and resumed his position on his side. He offered his fingers back to Teddy, who happily gripped them.  
"Soo, what should I bring?"  
"You are impossible, Harrison."  
"You love me for it."  
"You know I do," Edward replied.  
A scratching noise permeated the air and Harry looked up. "It's Draco's panther," Edward informed him as his nostrils flared. Harry sighed. "I'll get him." he crossed the living room, walked through the kitchen, and frowned at the sight of Razor pressing his  
nose against the sliding glass door. The animal gazed into the house, his hot breath fogging the frozen glass in front of him as he huffed. His tail twitched behind him when he caught sight of the wizard, and he placed a clumsy paw against the door again. The boy who lived lifted the lock, slid the door open and quickly gripped the collar of  
Draco's familiar as the panther attempted to dash past him into the warm house. Harry flicked his wand into his grip and cast a heating charm on Razor's fur, quickly melting the snow from his paws and drying his thick coat. The cat purred gratefully, but tugged  
impatiently at the hold keeping him still. "Alright," Harry relented. "Go see Draco." he let go and Razor immediately leapt out of the room, heading for the staircase.

Upon his return to the living room, Harry slumped into an armchair. He hardly noticed that his godson's hair and eyes had changed to match a certain vampire in his godfather's absence. "You know what's going to happen now?" he asked edward.  
"No, what?"  
"That poor panther is going to go sprinting up to Draco's room, and is going to sit outside of a closed door, yowling and scratching until he needs to eat or go outside again. But Draco won't open the door."  
Edward sat up slowly, trading his fingers for a block that Teddy didn't seem to mind.

"It's really that bad?"  
"Yes. He hasn't come down to eat, so I had to tell Kreacher to bring him trays at mealtimes. I don't know if he's eating much of it though..."  
"He'll come around, Harry."  
"How can you be sure? His boyfriend watched him hack his father's side apart without touching him. You know how that freaked out Jacob. I don't know if obliviating was really the best idea, but I ordered the man incase their discussion got out of hand. But what happened? Draco couldn't muster the courage to tell his _werewolf boyfriend_, that he  
is a wizard. He took the coward's route and now he's going to suffer. How can you say they he will get over that?"  
"I didn't say that he would get over that," Edward said calmly. Only that it would get better."  
Harry got quiet for a moment, and then carefully breached the topic he  
wanted to discuss.  
"Would... Would it have gotten better. For you? After the accident. Would you have just given up eventually and gone back to whatever life was... before I came along?"  
Edward's forehead crinkled in a pained sort of way. He stood up from the floor and went to stand beside the armchair that his boyfriend was slouched in. He reached out and touched his fingers to the wizard's chin, forcing them to make eye contact.  
"Harrison. You have to understand. There was no 'before you came along.' My life- my, existance or whatever this is, only truly began when I saw you scoop up that child in the mall. I heard your voice, smelt your scent, and everything changed- _started_."

Harry smirked. "So it has nothing to do with my devilishly handsome looks?"  
Edward grinned. "Well those do come in handy in certain aspects of this relationship."  
The wizard smiled at him. "You see though Edward? That's what Draco feels. I know it. Jacob finally was something new and different in his life. And in one night, that was ripped out from under him. I don't know if that can just be fixed. You were here the night it happened."

* * *

[flashback]  
Harry and Edward entered the house, sighing heavily from relief of leaving a car that had been filled with the worst sort of tension, confusion, and anger imaginable. They had practically wrestled Jacob back to the car and told him to sit and be quiet until they got home. The pureblood's attempt to make him listen were growled at and the werewolf had turned to look out the window, gathering into himself to place as much distance as possible between himself and the blond young man beside him. Half way through the trip roles were reversed as he turned to look back at his companion. To his surprise, he watched as two silent tears slipped down defined cheeks and disappeared in the expensive, high collared coat. When he opened his mouth to say something, (he didn't know what yet,) Draco turned his knees away and bit out "No. You've made yourself clear." For the rest of the ride, the wizard had remained obstinate and silent.

Harry and Edward were quickly accosted by Dedalus, who converged upon the younger wizard with a worried face. "Is everyone alright?" he asked desperately.  
"No lasting injuries," Harry responded quietly. "Amos was the only..."  
"I see."  
"How's Teddy?"  
"Asleep. Went down at 9, woke for a bottle at midnight, and put himself back to sleep, good lad."  
"What time is it now?"  
"Twenty after 3."  
"Thank you, Dedalus. I'm sorry you had to lose rest. Why don't you go up to bed?"  
"Harry, m'boy, we all are familiar with wonky sleeping patterns. There's no use pretending that worrying and fighting at odd hours aren't old hat for me. I am fine."  
"If you need-"  
"_I don't."_  
A sigh. "…okay."  
A ruckus from outside startled their conversation.  
"It's magic, Jacob! And, your phasing, or Cullen's existence- that's not human either!"  
"I didn't say it wasn't human, I said it isn't humane! You ripped a gap into that man's side, Draco! I saw blood, I saw bone- that is not okay!"  
"You don't know my father!"  
"I don't know _you_ either, apparently, as we have now established multiple times! I know you've lied to me! You're father's locked up in Europe still, yeah? And in the middle of the woods here, too?"

"_I don't know what the hell is going on either?" _Draco yelled furiously.

"You want to know me? I'm a fucking murderer, Black! My greatest desire is to commit patricide- and I have this ability to do it with only a few words and intent. What can you accomplish by shear will alone, Jacob? Ever kill someone, Jake? It's a thrill, for a little while, 'til you've realized what you've done. But the nausea subsides eventually. Not completely gone, but eased. But when I kill my father, it will be the best thrill I'll ever get. And if the nausea comes, I'll gladly swallow it back and spit on the man's dead corpse. What can you do just by wanting to, Jacob Black?"

The front door slammed open and Draco stormed inside. His face was red with fury and his hair was windswept by the increasingly horrid weather outside. His shaking arm held a fierce grip on his wand and when Razor curiously approached him, placed his front legs upon his master's thigh, the wizard thrust his knee upward in a fit and the animal fell heavily to his paws on the floor. The door flew open again with a frigid gust and this time Jacob's hulking form was framed in the entryway.

"Can we just discuss this without you being psychotic? _Murderer?_ W- what the fuck is wrong with you?" he asked demandingly. "I have no fucking clue what's gone on tonight. I am scared shitless right now and all you can tell me is how fucking corrupt you are? Just calm the hell down and talk to me!"

The pureblood breathed once and turned aristocratically, locking his gaze at the werewolf. The air around them, though physically undisturbed, was thick with the power which simmered impatiently within the blonde. "Can you handle this sort of person? This, as I am right now?"  
Jacob didn't respond immediately, but then answered "Probably not as a man, but as a wolf I would."  
"Then this relationship is in vain."  
"What the hell are you saying? Are you drunk?"  
"I'm not fucking drunk, Black! This is what I am- if you can't handle it, then get lost and don't bug me anymore."  
"Bug you?" Jacob cried incredulously. "You text me every fucking 10 minutes during school, every 5 in the evenings if I'm not _here,_ and you spend every weekend at my house. That's me _bugging_ you?"  
"You know what, Black? Screw you. Potter!"  
"What?"  
"Find me an obliviator."  
"Draco, you don't want to-  
"Don't tell me what I want, Harry!" Malfoy's tone became hysterical and his voice broke at a furious crescendo.  
"Fine." Harry looked at Dedalus. "Did they find an obliviator?"  
"He's in the kitchen."  
"What are you looking for?" the Quileute asked fearfully. "Who's in the kitchen?"  
"Go upstairs, Dedalus." Harry requested quietly. "Make sure Teddy's still asleep."  
"Who the hell is this?" Jacob asked again, desperate. "You all are insane. Magic? That's what this is? I'll tell you what- the fact that I'm a shapeshifter is only in my blood. I am not involved in this screwed up shit. I don't know what's going on, but I want to know now!"  
"Funny," Draco sniffed humorlessly. "You didn't want to know before when I wanted to explain. You seem to be under the impression that blood isn't involved here. You don't know how wrong you are." Then he turned away and didn't speak again.

Dedalus stepped forward with a hand outstretched as though to touch Jacob's arm. The werewolf drew away tentatively and the elder wizard halted, his hand still held aloft.  
"I'm sorry, lad." he whispered. Then he quickly made his way up the staircase.

"Edward, go with him."  
"Harrison..."  
"Go."  
He went.

"Alright Jacob- C'mere."  
"Why?"  
"We're going to fix this whole issue- like it never happened."  
"You going to split my abdomen open too?"  
Harry shook his head, and looked seriously into his eyes. "I don't let innocent people get hurt," he said. "I swear nothing will happen to you." the Gryffindor led the way into the kitchen where a man sat in very recognizable robes- those of the department of mysteries. He stood, sweeping a thin lock of salt and pepper hair off of his sweaty forehead.  
"Mr. Potter!" he said, shocked. He swept a brief bow that could have been mistaken for checking his shoelaces and then sped toward his host. "An honor to meet you." he held out his right hand and Harry took it.

"Do you know where you are?" the boy who lived asked.

"I know nothing sir. You get used to that in my line of work. I didn't even know this was your residence. You know, you caused quite an uproar with your disappearance!" he chuckled good naturedly. "And that Malfoy boy taking off as well! Such a scandal! People were talking of _relationships_, if you know what I mean. But when the elder escaped- ha! Well, it's clear that the boy left to free his father! Laid low for a bit, eh?  
then make your move. I tell you all these criminals are the same. And  
Then 'e made his move! The Malfoy boy…" he shook his head and tutted. "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, you know. And when the former is rotten, well how can you expect good fruit from that, eh? Like father, like son. Messed up, the young one was. He should'a been given to the dementors after his first trial! Not that I believe your trust was misguided or not honorable, sir! But we do all make mistakes..." he trailed off, as though just realizing he had not made a very good first impression at all, and laughed again to  
pass the awkward moment.

"Well then. What can my services offer you today?"

Harry bit his lip, then nodded his head at Jacob who by now looked as though he seriously doubted that his life was reality.  
"Him. A muggle. I need you to remove several hours of memories from him. Don't hurt him, and make sure you don't interfere with mental stability."  
"Wait a minute!" Jacob stepped forward, angrily. "Remove my memories? Mental stability- I will not allow this!"  
"You don't have a damned choice," Harry spat angrily. "Sit down, and you'll be home soon with none of this on your mind."

"But you were talking about Draco!" the werewolf protested.

"Yes," Harry agreed. "And his creep of a father."  
He pulled his wand from his sleeve with a flourish and with a flick the kitchen door slammed and locked. Razor, on the other side, yowled and scratched at the wood.

"But I don't understand!"

"You didn't want to."

"But…" Jacob sat, his eyes wide, conflict written on his face. Suddenly, the salt and pepper wizard was very professional and approached Jacob calmly and seriously. "It's alright, kid. Everything is going to be alright. This is my job, and I swear I'm good at it. Hey, just close your eyes, and count for me, alright? It's easier if you're focused on something instead of having thoughts run through your mind. Ready now? 1...2...3...4"  
Jacob breathed deeply through his nose and continued the count.  
"Good," the obliviator soothed.  
Then he took his wand from his pocket and, focusing, stated firmly "Obliviate!"  
Harry felt a rush of magic seep from the obliviator toward the werewolf.

The kitchen door crashed open and a wet eyed Draco Malfoy stared open mouthed in the door way for a millisecond. "Jake, I-"  
But as quickly as the wolf's eyes shot open in surprise, they dulled again under the influence of the memory charm. He slumped heavily and magic continued to swill around him, slowly pulling apart threads of memory and sending them to oblivion.  
"...I'm sorry."

* * *

And then Draco had retreated from the kitchen, took up residence in his bedroom, and had not left since. After picking through some of the Quileute's memory from the night, Harry and the unspeakable constructed a "we should take a break" scenario and implanted it as the broken couple had taken a seat on a bench in the woods. Harry wondered what the actual conversation had been about. Whatever it was, it was now nothing like it had been. Jacob had become lucid again after a time, and when he did he was sitting on a couch in the living room. Harry had offered him a pitying look, informed him that no,  
Draco wasn't interested in talking to him right now, and sorry that he had driven over here for nothing. The werewolf's shoulders dropped, and he left the house quite under the impression that he had just entered it.

* * *

Edward plucked at a stray thread from the carpet, pulling it easily from it's stuck place.  
"Alright. Something should be done about them. But you don't have to orchestrate it." he told Harry. "And not tonight. Come on, it's Christmas_. Our_ first, and Teddy's very first ever. Don't spoil that by waiting for Draco to come around. He will eventually, so  
let him spend the holiday in his own pity."  
Harry kissed Edward gently.  
"I do feel bad for them." he said. "But I'll come tonight."  
"Good."  
"Okay."  
"reeeeee!" Teddy, never to be forgotten, squealed from the carpet.  
Harry smiled at him fondly. "ha-rry" he said slowly and patiently. Teddy blinked and gazed at his godfather with wide, golden eyes.  
"nyummmmm," he hummed simply, then flopped sideways, pressing his cheek into the soft carpet to engage Moony in conversation again.

~~  
Before Harry could get his seatbelt off, Edward had circled the car and opened his door for him.

"Thanks," the wizard smiled at him. He reached into the back seat and gently unlatched a sleeping Teddy from his seat. The child scrunched his legs up when he was taken from the warm space in the car to the chill of winter outside. Without waking, He snuggled his nose into Harry's neck, where his godfather's scruffy black hair brushed his cheeks and forehead. Edward lifted a diaper bag from the floor of the Volvo and plucked a soggy Moony from the crease of the car seat.  
"Come on," he grinned.  
Placing one hand on his companion's lower back, the vampire led them to the front entrance of the Cullen residence. Once again Harry was taken aback by the light quiet that the house emanated. It was as though the framework of the house itself held no stress or tension; nothing settled or creaked and the couple's steps on the carpet swished softly in the silence. The Gryffindor breathed in deeply, allowing the variety of delicious smells to invade his senses. He felt Teddy's small body relax again in the homey environment and looked around, wondering where he could put the child.  
"Do you want to put him up in my room?" Edward asked. Though he couldn't read his mate's mind, he did tend to know what he was thinking about.  
Harry hesitated and Edward grimaced.  
"No, I trust you all. Really." the former promised. "I'd just like to have him where I can see him."  
"Of course. Here," Edward moved a stack of video games off of a small but heavily cushioned armchair. Harry placed the infant on the seat and warded it to prevent him rolling off.

"Oh, Harry!" the wizard turned and was embraced in the chilled arms of Edward's 'mother.'  
"Hello, Esme." he said, returning the short hug. "Thank-you for inviting us."  
"Of course," she said warmly. "I do hope you're hungry. You gave me an excuse to use the kitchen!"  
"Well it smells delicious," he assured her.  
"Thank you, dear. Now, I must coo over your godson as all mothers do, and then we will move into the sitting room. Emmett and Alice took Jasper out for a hunt, but they will be back soon. Then Harry will have his meal and we can open gifts after that."

She glided over to observe the sleeping infant, 'awwing' softly as all women did around Teddy. Harry grimaced as two very different thoughts crossed his mind. First, keeping Teddy away from girls until he reached a mature age, and second-

"Is your entire family seriously going to watch me eat?" he muttered to Edward. Though he knew Esme could hear him anyway, she tactfully remained deaf as the couple conversed.  
"We will all sit with you. Eating is interesting to us- like how I enjoy watching you sleep. If it would make you comfortable, we can chew food also. Remember, we _can_ eat."  
"You said it tastes bad."  
"I love you, Harrison."  
"But your family-  
"They love you too. Just, not the same. If you want them to eat, they will eat."  
Harry felt a breeze sweep through the house and the subtle scent of pine from the woods outside swam around them as a door somewhere was opened.  
"The others are home," Esme announced. "Come, boys. Dinner!"  
And she led them to the adjoining dining room, where in seconds she had laden the table with food.

****** A/N **Hello again! I hope that this chapter was up to standards. I know you didn't really get anything all that great from it. Anyway, I'm hoping to break 1000 reviews with this chapter. The person to send me the 1000th review wins a hug from Teddy and a very special mention in a chapter. Thanks so much! If you have any advice, concerns, questions, etc. Please let me know!


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N:** Sorry about this chapter... It's taken me forever to get it *right*, and i've come to the conclusion that the characters are so "off" simply because they are celebrating. I can't channel proper emotion when I'm trying to describe a christmas celebration. I figure this is a good time to post this chapter, now that everyone is depressed with the passing of the holidays. Hope you like the chapter anyway! Please know that I don't own anything that you recognize. I'm not that creative :D  
!~THANKS FOR HELPING ME REACH 1000 REVIEWS~!  
**  
Warning** if it bothers you: some "reminders" of the fact that Harry and Edward are actually in a RELATIONSHIP in this chapter. If slash bothers you, why are you still reading this story?  
**PLEASE READ THE NOTE AT THE END OF THE CHAPTER!**

* * *

It took no conversation, (at least, none that Harry could hear) for the rest of the Cullens to sit at the dining room table and join the wizard as he ate his dinner. Esme took a bite of ham, chewed politely, and swallowed.

"How is everything, dear?" she asked.  
Harry sipped his water and grinned. "everything is absolutely delicious!"

If she could, esme would probably be blushing.  
"That's very kind of you."  
"Not at all. Thank you for having me for dinner." Harry replied. Then he grimaced, and Edward closed his eyes.  
"I mean..."  
"We know," Carlisle said calmly. "You are welcome. Anytime, really."

"Thanks," Harry answered. He cleanly cut his meat and continued eating. When he was finished he settled his knife and fork on his plate and wiped his mouth. When he lifted his glass to take a drink he found that the family had ceased eating precisely when he did.  
"Delicious," he praised again. Esme smiled.

Emmett, who like the other siblings hadn't spoken much since greeting Harry, backed up his chair and pulled Rosalie up with him. "So, presents?" he asked eagerly.  
Excited agreement arose from the table and when Alice made a move to clear some plates, Harry stopped her.

"No, allow me. Please." He asked, drawing his wand. She raised her fine eyebrows and the rest of the family focused on him too. "If you don't mind, that is."  
"Not at all!"  
"Okay." With a sweeping wave the table's contents rose and floated away to the kitchen. Jogging to keep up with them, Harry flicked his wand once more. Garbage dumped itself into a bin beside the pantry and dishes gently dropped into the sink where they began to scrub themselves. Leftovers were wrapped instantly and stacked themselves neatly on a countertop.

"That's incredible!" Alice exclaimed.  
"Thanks," Harry replied. He was grateful for the domestic spells Mrs. Weasley was sure to impress on all her children.  
Teddy began to cry in the adjoining living room, his soft fussing telling Harry that the child probably wanted something to eat too. He went to the boy, scooping him up and hushing him. He plucked a bottle from the bag that Edward had placed on the side table and offered it to Teddy. Upon returning to the family, he noticed that Rosalie's expression was the softest he had ever seen on her. The compassion in her golden eyes held the warmth of a mother and a sadness that he remembered seeing in Mrs. Weasley's at Fred's funeral.

"Rosalie, would you hold my godson while I get him something to eat?" he asked her.  
"_Oh_," she gasped. "I would love to," she said softly.  
"Well here you go," Harry wrapped a fuzzy blue blanket around Teddy to keep him warm and gently passed him over to the female vampire. She sighed softly and pulled him gently to her chest, where he squirmed and scrunched his nose a bit. She wrinkled her nose back at him and he laughed happily.  
Under the cap snuggly pulled down to his ears, Teddy's hair went blond.

Harry entered the kitchen and sorted through the plates of food he had covered. Finally, he found a bowl half-filled with whipped potatos. They had been absolutely delicious: seasoned lightly and not clumped or watery. He uncovered the bowl and tested the temperature of the mash with his index finger. Finding them the gentle combination of hot and cooled, he licked his finger clean and returned to the living room with the bowl in hand.  
"Accio Teddy's spoon," he said with his other hand outreached. A small green spoon with a soft blue rubber handle flew from the bag to his grip.  
"Here, Rosalie. If you sit down with him, you can give him some dinner."  
"Ohh," she cooed softly.

The wizard laughed. "Trust me, it's not so glamorous. He's a marauder- a menace only thinking about making messes."  
"Very alliterative of you, Harrison." Edward smiled at him.  
"Shut up..."  
"Okay okay, presents!" Emmett urged.  
"Haven't you received enough gifts over the past century or so?" Edward asked him exhasperatedly.  
Emmett scowled. "I don't care much about _my_ gifts, I want to see _his_ reaction!"

Harry felt uncomfortable. "You didn't have to get me anything." he mumbled.  
"Oh yes we did," assured Alice. "You've made Edward happier than we ever could. You deserve everything and more." The others nodded in agreement.

"Right then," began Carlisle. "Ladies first?"  
"I'll go!" piped up Alice. She reached under the tree and pulled out several brightly wrapped packages, passing them out to her family.  
"I've already looked, and I know you will love them all. Even you, Harry! I wish it was a bit easier to See you though."  
She handed him a good-sized package decorated in shiny green paper with a silver bow.  
"Alice, you can't give him that now, it will ruin it!" complained Rosalie.  
"Well by all means then, give him yours now too!"  
"Good idea!" Emmett was out of the room in a flash. Seconds later he returned at a slightly slower place, carrying a large object. The thing was cloaked in a large blanket of Festive fabric, and a gigantic bow that sparkled sat on top of it all.

"Is that-" Harry began, but he was cut off by comment from Rosalie.  
"It's not like you _know_ what it is or anything, Harry." she said exaggeratedly. "You must be so curious about what it is!"  
Smiling, Harry played along. "Golly! Whatever could it be?" he asked, laughing. Emmett placed the thing on the floor in front of Harry. It gently rested where it should have made a loud "thunk."  
"Wow! Can I open it Eddy? Can I, Can I, Can I?" The Cullens laughed, and Edward smiled that classic smile at his boyfriend.  
"Is this Teddy's first Christmas or yours?" he asked.  
Harry pouted.  
"Go ahead and open it, Harrison. As long as you never call me 'Eddy' again."  
"Deal. I hate that nickname anyway. It sounds ridiculous."

Harry peeled off the large bow and stuck it on Teddy's head. It was obsurdly huge on top of his small body, and the boy laughed through a mouth of potatos, making a mess down his chin that Rosalie casually cleaned up. With a flourish, Harry lifted the tarp off of his gift and gasped in awe.  
There sat his motorcycle; a fresh paint job cast an impressive black shine that the wizard could see his reflection in. There was no sign that this bike had been so badly damaged as it had. There were no dents, no scratches, and no visible signs of repair as Harry circled it, admiring.  
"This is incredible," he said softly.  
"It was no problem," Rosalie assured him. "It had to be done- and it was fun."  
"_You_ fixed this?" he asked Rosalie, shocked.  
"Well, Emmett mixed the paint and such. The stuff he wouldn't mess up."  
"Hey!" the bulky vampire defended. "I was fixing up _your _car,_ Sweetheart_."  
"Oh, that's right!" Rosalie answered as though just remembering.  
Everyone laughed.

"Well it's amazing. Thank you so much." Harry told her sincerely.  
"Now you can open mine, Harry!" Alice called joyfully. She handed him the package.  
"It's from Jasper and me." Happily, the gryfindor opened the gift and peeled back a layer of tissue paper.  
"Fantastic!" a brand new helmet, as black and reflective as his bike, and a pair of expensive-looking leather gloves were nestled in the box by a sleek black and silver coat, which he lifted to examine.  
The entire jacket was black, except for silver patches running from the elbows and down the forearms. There was also silver piping in two lines down the torso. It was a thick, heavy material that felt like silk to his fingertips. It wasn't stiff, like he thought it should be as he pulled his arms through the sleeves and zipped it up. It hugged him like a second skin, but wasn't uncomfortable in the slightest.  
"It's the sort that professionals wear. We figured you might be able to add even more to it," Alice explained as the wizard eagerly stood to look at his reflection in the mirror above the mantle.  
"It's not that we think you're fragile," she hurried to say, "But it's just so easy for something stupid to..."  
"I understand," Harry assured her. "I absolutely love it."  
"oooh! I _knew_ you'd say that!" Alice squealed.  
"Alright alright, next?" Emmett eyed the rest of the brightly papered gifts under the tree. The Cullens and their guest spent a long while opening gifts and telling stories. Teddy received numerous gifts as well. Esme admitted that she hadn't so much as passed by the baby aisles in the stores in at past 60 years.

"I just can't believe the things they have available these days!" She gushed as Harry laughed at the collection of "designer diapers" she had purchased.  
"Draco will be very pleased," the wizard told her.  
"He often says that Teddy has no fashion sense. You know, onesies, sweatshirts... Sometimes we just let him go naked if he's being particularly frustrating about clothes. Denim diapers though- Classy!" he finished with a laugh.  
Said child was currently napping in Rosalie's arms. "I can't believe he's asleep. All these pictures and he won't even be awake!" Alice had been snapping pictures of the group the entire time.  
"It's alright," she said lightly. "He's adorable."

"Well, everyone else is done, Now I think it's time for our favorite couple to exhange their gifts," Emmett announced with a grin.  
"Oh, thanks for the prompt, Emmett." Edward drawled sarcastically. But he didn't move or reach for a present or anything. Instead, he narrowed his eyes and a soft humming reached Harry's ears, a sign that the vampires were communicating so rapidly and silently that he couldn't even fully hear them. Emmett raised his hands in surrender after a second.  
"Yeah yeah, alright. Go be sappy about it."  
"About what?" Harry interjected.  
Edward wrapped an arm around his lower waist and pulled him into an embrace. "I thought it would be nice if we exchanged gifts at your place, tomorrow morning. Like a traditional Christmas morning."  
Harry smiled. "I'd like that," he replied.  
The Cullens, Harry and Teddy spent another hour together laughing and taking pictures in Alice's case. When Edward announced that he would be taking his boyfriend home, the bouncy vampire tossed the camera at the wizard.  
"Here," she said happily. "Our memories are stronger than humans'... Even the magic ones. And you can show them to Teddy when he's older."  
"Thank you!" the gryffindor told her, and he gave her a hug before scooping up Teddy from a reluctant Rosalie, waving goodbye to the others and following Edward out the door to the Volvo.  
On the drive back, Teddy's soft snores filled the quiet car. Harry ran his thumb over the back of his boyfriend's hand where it held his.  
"That was lovely," he said.  
Edward snorted a bit. "It's kind of embarassing."  
"Oh shut up," the wizard responded. "I love spending holidays with families... It's special." Edward smiled at him as the black haired man gazed out of the window through the thick snowy trees.

* * *

Harry and Edward stepped over the threshold and walked quietly into the still house. Harry headed up the steps and Edward knew that he was putting Teddy down in his crib. The vampire turned to the living room, intending to sit and wait when he was started by the soft "Hi," spoken to him from one of the large armchairs. Draco Malfoy was sitting, turned away from him and facing the fire which danced in the grate. He stroked Razor, who was draped heavily across his lap. He was only wearing pyjama bottoms, leaving his pale torso bare. The wizard's hair wasn't as perfect as usual, though it was clean and somewhat brushed. The firelight reflected pink skin and tired, puffy eyes. Edward walked around the couch to sit on it, facing the profile of the dejected slytherin.

"Hello," he replied calmly. "It's good to see you downstairs again."  
Draco sighed through his nose in response.  
Edward knew it would be tactless to ask the ever-unintelligent phrase "Are you alright," but the instinct to do so took over. He asked anyway.  
Draco shook his head in response and squeezed his eyes shut. "No," he said quietly. "I'm not."  
Edward breathed out loudly.  
"That's okay," he said. "It's okay to not be alright."  
Draco didn't do anything to make it known that he had heard.  
Edward stood up again. "Well," he began honestly. "I hope that things get better for you soon." He awkwardly clasped his hands behind his back, then swung them back to his front and left the room, pretending that he didn't hear the soft sobs coming from that chair as he headed upstairs after Harry.

* * *

Edward passed the nursery and found the door closed, so he continued on to his boyfriend's bedroom. The door was slightly ajar and he leaned against the molding as he watched Harry undress and get ready for bed. First the shirt, lifted in a smooth single motion over the wizard's head, revealing his toned stomach and lean but powerful chest. As Harry turned slightly to toss the article into a hamper, his scarred back was presented to the vampire, (who chuckled silently at the victory dance which Harry performed upon making the shot into the hamper.) Then the fingers dropped to a belt buckle, which slipped open with a soft clash of metal on metal. Harry didn't pull the belt through the loops, but simply tugged it loose and then moved on to unfastening his jeans. The jeans and belt slipped to the floor, leaving the wizard clad only in black boxer shorts. Harry then turned entirely away from the doorway, and languidly stretched to the ceiling. Edward watched the ropey muscles from the gryffindor's calfs to his shoulders pulse with the effort.

"Are you quite through?" his boyfriend's voice startled him out of his spying. The wizard was still facing away from him, but when Edward coughed embarrasedly, turned around. Then his arms were full of wizard and a warm kiss was on his mouth.  
"I don't mind that you watched me." Harry said against his lips. "It's only slightly less creepy than watching me sleep," he laughed and stepped back again. Edward smiled.  
"But," Harry continued as he walked away to brush his teeth. He laughed again when Edward followed his swaying hips into the bathroom. "You do have to tell me what you were thinking."

The wizard nonchalantly scrubbed his teeth as Edward watched him in the mirror from over his shoulder. When Harry had spat and wiped his mouth with a towel, his boyfriend leaned down and nuzzled the juncture of his neck and shoulder. "I was thinking that the jacket Alice bought you looked damn sexy," Edward said gruffly. "And I was also thinking I wish I spied on you more often." He kissed the tanned skin at his lips and smiled. "But as you said, I already watch you sleep, so I guess I've filled my quota for the evening." When Harry turned around, the vampire was already back in the bedroom, standing at the desk as though he inteded to leave through the window.  
"Wait!" Harry stopped him.  
"You can stay tonight. Please? It's Christmas eve."  
Edward grinned and followed Harry to his bed. The wizard curled himself beneath the covers and Edward was going to take his customary place on top of them, when he was stopped.  
"Why am I only wearing boxers?"  
"Because you decided to strip-tease for your bedroom."  
Harry smirked. "I knew you were there the entire time."  
"How?"  
"Anaklusmos told me. What I meant is, you are still wearing your shoes for Merlin's sake."  
The vampire eyed him. "You want me to undress?"  
"It's only fair."  
"Fine."

Harry sat bolt upright on the bed, allowing the sheets to pool at his waist. "Seriously?"  
"Why are you shocked?" Edward asked, confused, as he stood up and toed off his sneakers.  
"I- I didn't think you'd actually say 'okay'."  
Edward leaned over and kissed Harry deeply.  
"For you, Harrison," he said quietly. Then he removed his clothing, one article at a time until he too was left only in his boxers. Harry smiled.  
"Come on, get in."  
"But I'm-  
"I'll cast a charm. Lay down with me."  
The vampire complied and lifted the comforter to slip in beside the boy who lived.  
Harry spoke a spell and then squirmed closer so that his naked torso was flush against Edward's. "What did you do?"  
"It's a charm so that my skin doesn't feel the cold. You're warm," he said contendedly.  
"Oh."  
Harry tilted his chin up and caught the vampire's lips in another kiss. He felt hands come to rest on his waist and ran his own fingers across every plane of Edward's torso that he could reach, finally tangling his fingers in the vampire's broze hair. He breathed heavily through his nose and heard Edward groan as cool liquid began to seep into their kiss. Harry didn't mind the taste, but Edward broke away soon after and wouldn't allow him more. Edward roughly swallowed back the venom in his throat and kissed the wizard's forehead.  
"Enough," he said gently.  
"Go to sleep, Harrison. Merry Christmas." Harry looked into his eyes, which had turned a deep, dark color.  
"I love you," he said.  
"I love you too." Edward tucked an arm around his waist and pulled him close as the wizard's breaths began to even out and he eventually fell asleep.

Edward buried his nose in the nest of hair on his boyfriend's head and inhaled his scent as he slept. He looked around the room, admiring the way Harry's character and personality shined through. Pictures, newspapers, and textbooks were as scattered as ever, and it made Edward smile to see notes on World War II intermingled with parchment, quills, and magic candy wrappers. Anaklusmos was asleep in her tank beneath a heated lamp, and the bluish light from her habitat lit up everything else in the room, including Harry's face. It was peaceful and relaxed as he slept curled into Edward. The charm still seemed to be in effect, as he didn't shy away from what was normally very cool skin. Edward often watched him dream, wondering what was going on in the head of his boyfriend.  
Now though, as Edward lay beside him, it became very clear what Harry's subconcious was thinking of when Edward felt a warm weight grow against his thigh and Harry's soft features twitched in his sleep. He began to breath heavily and Edward watched as his boyfriend began to dream of sex. The vampire pulled back and wondered if he should leave, or at least get up, but he told himself that Harry had invited him to be here, and so he could stay. He wrapped his arm back around Harry's waist and closed his eyes tightly as the wizard's panting made heat on his shoulder. And then Harry began to shift his hips against Edward, and all the vampire could think of was the intoxicating scent that changed around his boyfriend as the dream continued. His tangy scent became thick and heady as his hormones raged and then he was pulsing and Edward felt the wet warmth against his hip. Harry shuddered and breathed deeply again, cuddling once more around Edward's solid form. The vampire simply held him, eyes still shut tight, doing his best to ignore the rushing venom in he glands and the cooling stickiness that remained between him and his wizard.

* * *

Note: Alright, Alright, Kind of out of my league to write such a scene. I figured it had to be in there though, and you will understand when the next chapter is posted. Next up is Christmas Morning, which will include several interesting things, as you can imagine. I hope you all are continuing to read and enjoy. Please send me a message and let me know what you think. Also, I'm still interested if anyone wants to create any artwork to go along with this story. I don't want to draw it, but if someone is talented, would like to create something, I will add a link to the story. Thanks! As for my friend who won the Teddy hug (My 1000th reviewer!) Your "cameo appearance" will be in the next chapter ;)


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N:** I am sorry for this ridiculous hiatus I seem to have taken. Some recent messages have kicked me back into gear. While I have had this written for a while, I was being too lazy and self-centered to post it. I'm so sorry for keeping you in the dark for so long! **THIS STORY WILL NOT BE ABANDONED!** no matter how long the breaks are, I am not giving up.  
So in other news, the patriotic pride is strong in the USA today. I say, do not be happy that he is dead. Rather, be happy that we are one step closer to maintaining our bid for peace and freedom. This man can no longer cause harm, but there is plenty of evil still out there- we should remain strong and vigilant. God Bless 3

Today is Christmas Day in _Piano Man,_which accounts for some rather OOC behavior. My apologies! Also, please note that I do not own ANYTHING. This includes songs, characters, titles, and all that jazz.

Hope you enjoy, and please review! P.S.- this chapter contains a bit of a re-cap from the previous. Thankyou!

* * *

Edward spent the night alternating between deep, controlled breaths and ceasing to breathe at all. The sounds and smells of Harrison's bedroom were unique- foreign yet familiar, and oh so intense. He looked around the dimly luminated room, admiring everything all the blue-tinted possessions that belonged to his boyfriend. His creative, clever, emotional, sensitive, (and maybe a little intimidating) Harrison Potter. The variation among within the room was overwhelming: school books on English, computer science, and transfiguration; the wall of obituaries and a brightly colored toy that Alice had purchased for Teddy, the soft rustling of Anaklusmos' nocturnal coiling through her terrarium, And Harry himself. The wizard was a living contradiction: so powerful, but so self-depreciating and concerned. And of all the people to love, the hero had chosen... him. Edward Cullen. Vampire. He kissed him, dreamt of him, /wanted/ him, as evidenced by his actions hours earlier in the night. Edward reached for a box of tissues on the table beside the bed and accidentally knocked a heavy book from it's precarious position atop a pile of the wizard's things. His reaching hand darted and caught the book before it could hit the ground, and he hesitantly placed it back before checking to see that his bed mate was still thoroughly asleep. Then, he again grabbed for a tissue and ripped it in half before taking the two pieces and wadding them into bunches like snakes made from play-doh. Then he curiously opened his jaw and worked the wads to the back of his mouth, behind his molars, one on each side. He had never tried to stem the production of venom before. The glands were irritating him though with their consistent drip of silvery fluid to the back of his throat as he lay with Harry. The wizard was on his side, facing away from Edward, who faced the ceiling as he attempted this experiment. He remained still for a short while, the soggy tissues uncomfortable in his mouth as any obstruction would be. Then, he felt a retching sensation that painfully reminded him of the night he choked on his own venom under the painful whim of Lucius Malfoy. He rolled to his side and hacked, the mess of partially dissolved kleenex spilling wetly to the floor with a heavy slap. And that's all there was for it, then. There was no interfering with the unnatural "nature" of his existence. He sighed and rolled back over, smiling a bit as his arm and side brushed warmly against Harry's.

* * *

Edward sensed the change in Teddy's breathing around 7, as usual. The boy's gentle snores became lighter until he woke himself, most likely rubbing his tired eyes with a small, chubby fist, and letting out a soft cry of discomfort. At some point in the night, Harry had rolled over to face away from the vampire, and his backside was comfortably spooned into the 'v' of his boyfriend's hips. Edward gently scooted himself backward, easing his arm away from around the wizard's waist. He imagined that it should feel cold as he separated himself from the comfortable warmth they had been cocooned in. Harry grunted but remained asleep. The vampire made his way into the adjoining room to tend to Teddy, whose cries lessened at the attention. He lifted the presently purple -haired boy and strapped him carefully to the changing table before rapidly removing and replacing his damp diaper. Teddy cooed and drooled the entire time, yawning intermittently as he chewed on one of the table's straps. Edward wadded the used diaper as Harry had expertly taught him and looked for the metal trashcan. Upon finding it, he stepped on the pedal, opening the lid. He dropped the offending item in with a muffled 'thump,' and was set to retrieve the babbling baby again when the metal lid fell closed with a loud and resounding CLANG. He winced, the sound echoing in his sensitive ears, and nearly cursed when he heard the sounds of Harry waking in the other room.

* * *

The wizard woke groggily, squirming as he sought the comfort of the companion he had fallen asleep next to. He rolled to his stomach, snorting gruffly, then jerked to full alertness as the cooled stickiness in his shorts pressed against his inner thigh. "Oh shit." He threw back the comforter to examine the situation and cursed again upon coming into contact with the partially dried semen which clung to his boxer shorts and contrasted with the dark wiry hairs of his groin. He slipped from the bed and didn't fail to notice that Edward's side of the bed was still cold with the vampire's lack of body heat. He whipped a towel off it's hook and proceeded to the shower, his face a deep shade of red as he considered the ensuing conversation.

* * *

Edward sighed. Now downstairs, he found a bottle and passed it to the boy nestled in his arm. His inner coward was showing, but he preferred to think of his hiding as a strategic position- allow Harry to make the first move. He had heard the shower start upstairs and wished for the umpteenth time that he knew what his boyfriend was thinking. He looked down again into Teddy's eyes, which still gazed amazedly up at him, a soft golden color. The boy didn't have _thoughts_ so much as emotions. Edward loved to contemplate him. He assumed that Teddy himself did not understand " thought" or even the emotions that he felt. Edward snuggled the child more comfortably into his arm as he sat down and let a sleepy contentment and warmth surround him.  
"I'm thinking that you're going to need a sitter for this conversation, Little One. So finish up soon so that Harry and I can chat... And wish me luck."  
Teddy continued to suckle and reached up with a tiny hand to pat the side of Edward's face. The vampire smiled.  
"Thanks."

Harry descended the steps and found it to be still dark in the living room. He wore a clean pair of boxers and sleep pants, wanting to be relaxed and comfortable despite the messy start to his Christmas morning. The colored lights of the Christmas tree twinkled and cast a kaleidoscope effect on his boyfriend, who was spread out on his back on the couch. Harry breathed a sigh of relief that Edward hadn't left yet. He smiled when he noticed Teddy, balled up in a blanket for warmth, taking a post-bottle snooze on Edward's firm, still chest.

"Thanks for taking care of him." Harry awkwardly sat in an armchair.  
"You could have passed him to Dedalus if you wanted."  
"I tried," Edward said softly. "I couldn't find the third floor."  
Harry half smirked. "Sorry... You could put him back in his crib."  
Edward shrugged. He was comfortable with the small, delicate warmth relying on him.  
"I can handle him, Harry. I'm a big boy, and I'm capable."  
Harry nodded. "Yeah, I know. I trust you. I love you. it's just..."  
"I know."

Harry shut down again and leaned his head on the back of the chair.  
"I'm protective of him. Of everyone, really," he spoke to the ceiling.  
"I've noticed."  
"I don't want to be."  
"So don't."  
"...it's hard."

It was quiet for a bit longer, and Teddy made a suckling motion with his mouth as he slept.

Babies dream about eating.

_"What a simple thing," _Harry thought. _"Unlike teenagers. "_

He breathed out a puff of air and flicked his wand toward the windows. The blinds drew back to let the early sun flood the room. Bright and reflecting the pure snow outside.

"Can this not be so awkward?" he said aloud to his boyfriend.  
"Harrison, look." the vampire replied simply.  
"It doesn't have to be awkward- you're making it seem that way by closing yourself off. Just know that it happened, and then- whatever. Don't stress out about a little thing like this. If I could dream at all, it would be about you. And I'm not ashamed of that."  
Harry smiled at him.  
"Besides," the vampire continued "It was... Exciting."  
The wizard blushed. "Yeah?"  
"Yes."  
Harry's face flamed hotter.

The three lounged in companionable silence for a while, until Edward spoke up once more.  
"Since we're all being honest, I could really use a hunt right now."  
Harry sat up straight. "Of course- yeah if you need to, just go." he reached out and lifted Teddy off the vampire's chest. Holding his godson in one arm, he snapped the fingers of his left hand.

"Kreacher,"

The elderly elf appeared in a flash. A bit of tinsel hung from one of his droopy ears and stuck to the carpet as he bowed low.  
"Master Harry Potter sir," he croaked. "What does Kreacher need to do?"  
"Please take Teddy back to his room. I'm hoping he'll sleep for more of the morning."

The elf took Teddy tenderly and hiked him up higher on a bony hip. As he headed to the stairs, the Gryffindor called after him.  
"Thanks for decorating, Kreacher. Everything is very festive." Kreacher did not pause his steps, but responded in his gravelly voice  
"Kreacher lives to serve the man who avenged Master Regulus, Sir!"

Edward looked oddly after the creature, and Harry nudged him.  
"You can't have him."  
The vampire looked insulted. "I wouldn't eat him!"  
Harry chuckled. "Too many cleaning chemicals in his blood?"  
Edward grinned. "Nah, too skinny." he joked.

Leaning into his boyfriend's side, Harry scrunched up his face.  
"That's terrible. He's terrific."  
"I tried calling him when I couldn't get to Dedalus. The little thing ignored me!" Edward sounded affronted.  
"No, he couldn't hear you calling. He's in tune to his master, and Draco sometimes. Actually he might not do anything for you even if you asked him directly, because you're a... you." "Vampire," Edward said calmly.

He smiled and Harry could now see his elongating canines and the darkness of his eyes.  
"Yes. Speaking of, you should go now, so we can do presents when you get back."  
"I'm going. But first,"

He leaned down and pressed his lips against Harry's. Their bodies moulded against one another as the kiss continued. Harry groaned and slung an arm around the back of his boyfriend's head, pulling him closer. Too soon, Edward pulled back with a growl.  
"I've been wanting to do that since last night." he said. Then he whispered hotly in Harry's ear.  
"Next time I don't want you to be asleep."

And he left Harry gaping and panting after him as he disappeared through the front door in a flicker of movement.

* * *

Edward returned an hour later and found Harry still shirtless in the kitchen, cooking a feast. The table was heavy-laden with breakfast foods of all kinds- from eggs and bacon to ham, sausage, toast, porridge, coffee, juice, milk, teas, beans, and he was still at the stove, apparently flipping pancakes. Edward smiled, watching his boyfriend's slim hips sway in time to the music which floated from a radio on the counter that looked like it had seen better days. The pancakes were tilted off the skillet and neatly stacked onto a platter. As the wizard moved away from the stove to open a cabinet, several glass bottles rained down over the counter, shattering and spilling their contents. A simple swish of a wand, the words "reparo" and "evanesco" cleared the mess in seconds.

"What's that?" The vampire asked curiously as Harry replaced the now empty bottles in the cabinet and reached a plate from above them. Edward smirked when he saw his boyfriend jump in surprise.  
"No snake to tell you I'm here this time." Edward came up behind his boyfriend and wrapped his arms around his hips.  
Harry laughed. "Yes yes, you scared me." He accepted the cold arms around his waist and nestled into a backward hug as he commanded some fruits to chop and arrange themselves on the plate.  
"They're my calming draughts. I practically developed an addiction to them, until Draco started diluting the draughts. They came in handy rather frequently.. But I haven't needed them in a while."  
"Why not?"  
"I've got you. I'm definitely more relaxed."  
Edward snorted. "I don't know any man who could claim to be more relaxed while dating a vampire."  
"Ah, but that's the thing," Harry reasoned, adding the pancakes and fruit to the groaning table. "I'm not just a man, I'm a wizard!"

Edward breathed in said wizard's tangy scent and pressed a wet kiss to his warm throat.  
"Yes indeed."

Footsteps alerted them to company joining them and soon Draco's sleep- mussed head poked it's way into the kitchen. His eyes, (marginally less red-rimmed than the night before,) widened comically at the sight of the cuddling couple.  
"Ugh, this is a nightmare! I'm going back to bed!" he called, but Harry, laughing, stopped him.  
"It's fine, Draco!" he promised, and untangled himself from the sensual embrace of his boyfriend. "We'll control ourselves."  
"Good, because I'm starving." He sat down at the table and reached for a fork but Harry swatted his hand.  
"Wait for the others!"

Blond eyebrows knitted together in a petulant scowl. Then the pureblood drew his wand and sent a silvery patronus bounding up the steps. It was very obvious what it's shape was, but no one mentioned it.  
"So, where's our kid?" Draco asked as he poked a pancake with his fork.  
"Morning nap," Harry answered offhandedly, boosting himself to sit up on the counter ledge.  
"You wanna leave the room for ten more minutes and go get him?"  
Draco snorted. "And leave you two here to canoodle in my absence? Not happening."  
The gryffindor broke into laughter. "Canoodle?"  
Draco groaned theatrically. "Whatever you'd like to say: 'fuck,' 'do it,' 'go-at-it-like- hinkypunks.' Honestly, we eat in here."

Throughout this tirade Harry has turned a terrific shade of red. Though embarassed, he was pleased that Draco seemed to be behaving in his usual teasing manner for the holiday.  
"We haven't," he choked defensively, and he pulled Edward closer with his feet to hide behind his strong back. "We wern't doing anything, Draco."  
The slytherin sighed. "I'll hold you to it, then. I'm going to fetch the little beast."  
He stood up reluctantly from the table and left the room.

Immediately, Edward's mouth was at the juncture of Harry's throat and shoulder. The wizard groaned, tilting his chin up and loving the scrape of his light morning stubble against Edward's strong jaw.  
"What are you thinking about?" the vampire crooned to him.  
Harry pulled away minutely to pull his boyfriend in for a deep kiss.

"Canoodling," he said with a wicked grin.

Edward kissed his way back down the wizard's jaw to suck playfully at the warm throat again.  
"Hmm. Maybe later," he replied quietly.

It was a promise.

* * *

After the mob of wizard guards had infiltrated the crowded kitchen and everyone had eaten their full, the entirety of the house congregated in the living room around the large tree that Kreacher had so fantastically decorated. The men eagerly tossed gifts to one another across the room, calling about whose wife, mother, relative, or friend had sent what by owl. Thinking of which, Harry nudged his boyfriend sitting next to him in the over-large armchair.

"You and your family haven't gotten to any owls, have you?" he asked quietly.  
"No," answered Edward in a whisper. "The only time we get flying things is when we're having a competition or something. Not for a long time."  
"Okay," Harry breathed a sigh of relief. He was already the reason that these men were away from home for the holidays. The least he could do was ensure that his boyfriend didn't feed on their pets.

"Are you okay?" Edward asked him. He always seemed to be concerned when they discussed his... habits.  
"Yes, Edward. Of course." Harry said sincerely and squeezed the cold hand in his grip.  
"I love you."  
The vampire smiled. "Love you too."

The floor rapidly accumulated wrapping paper, which Kreacher eagerly vanished with scanning waves of his gnarled fingers. The sounds of laughter, conversation, and Teddy's excited squeals filled the room. Soon only Krum, Harry and Edward remained. Sitting across from the couple, the Bulgarian awkwardly looked around the room before he stood, straightened the cushions of his chair, and ambled from the room like a misplaced bear.

"Soo, my present to you," Harry began.  
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a tiny matchbox. With a mumbled word it grew into a large packing box which painted itself in green and red splashes before tying itself with a bright, sparkling, silver bow.  
Edward took it. "Thank you."  
"Open it!"

The vampire carefully untied the package and pulled apart the sealed cardboard effortlessly. He then emptied handfulls upon handfulls of bright orange confetti which had Harry shaking his head in amusement.

"Uhm, in case you haven't realized, I went with "fun," rather than "romantic,"" he cautioned awkwardly.

Edward smirked and continued to sift through the bright flakes, which seemed to be multiplying by double each time his hand touched them.  
"Hey, sometimes they're the same thing," he said in a lingering tone, and Harry reeled as heat flared in his cheeks and coiled between his legs.  
Finally, pushing his arm deeper into the box than should have been possible, the vampire grasped yet another matchbox between his index and middle finger, and withdrew his arm (now buried to the shoulder,) from the orange depths.

"What do I do now, oh great wizard?" he asked playfully.  
Harry crinkled his forehead. "I don't really know, to be honest. I begged George to keep it simple..."  
"Could it be a magic word?"  
"You mean a spell? No, that's not fun enough for George. More like a password, like... _I solemnly swear that I am up to no good_," he intoned.

Nothing happened.

"Damn you, George." he muttered.

"How about, 'please'?" Edward asked sardonically.

Before Harry could tell him that George would never do anything so pathetically dim-witted, the box grew and opened itself with a final hurrah of orange confetti, springing forth a card from its depths. Edward raised his eyebrows at the wizard.  
Harry kissed him briefly. "I knew there was a reason I love you. Now you can open it."

Edward pulled back a layer of red and gold tissue paper to reveal an assortment of brightly covered goodies.  
The first thing he pulled out was a narrow tube, containing what appeared to be an electronic insect. The words "Deodor-Ant!" decorated the tube in large block letters. He turned it over in his hand, curious, and observed the animation of a teenager in long black robes stuffing the insect into a pocket before entering some sort of lab with a happy expression of suprise. Turning the tube once more, he found that the product label had changed to say "Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes Thanks You For Your Purchase."

"What is it?" Edward asked awkwardly.  
"Well I'm not sure that it will work," Harry began. "but what it supposedly does is make overpowering scents more neutral, so that they arn't irritating. It's brilliant if you're brewing potions, because the fumes can really cause a hell of a migraine. But I thought that maybe, since you seem to be sensitive to Teddy so much, it would make everything a bit more managable."  
"Really?"  
"I don't know how it will work for you, but I guarantee that any Weasley product will work for _someone_."

"Fascinating."

Edward popped the lid of the tube and the small bug scuttled out into his palm. As he capped the capsule, another Deodor-Ant began to grow within it.  
"Self-replenishing. Nice," Harry approved.  
Meanwhile, the vampire found a small switch on the ant's abdomen. As he flipped it, the thing grew still in his hand and he tucked it into his pocket. He breathed in deeply, amazed at the bizarre lack of- well, everything- that hit him.

"C'mere, Harry," he said gruffly.

He tugged his boyfriend close and pressed his nose to the juncture of his neck and shoulder. He felt the pulse of blood beneath his lips, heard the rushing of it in his ears and reveled in its warmth, but he smelled nothing other than a subtle scent of soap and salt and _Harrison_, and loved the fact that there was no tell-tale rush of venom to contain. He laved at the wizard's neck for a moment, before twisting his fingers in his hair and meeting their mouths.  
"This is so strange," he murmered. "I love it."

"There's more," Harry reminded him, and pulled away to return their attention to the box. Next Edward pulled out a clear bag of candies, which he noticed Harry's expression twitch at. He eyed the suckers in confusion, knowing that _Harry_knew he didn't eat for leisure.

"I thought you'd like to share those with your siblings. A treat, you know? They're, ah, bloodpops."

The light, bronze eyebrows raised in contemplation, and he easily tore the bag with a finger to reach inside. He fished a pop from the lot and held it to his nose, trying to inspect the wizarding treat. When he felt his boyfriend's hand snake it's way into his front pocket, he wondered what had gotten into him, until the scent of the suckers swam around him, causing his head to spin with lust. His boyfriend held the deodor-Ant in his hand, allowing him to inspect the bloodpops more easily. When his head cleared he swiftly unwrapped the sweet and stuck it in his mouth. His eyes shifted from light golden to a molten coal- black and back again in a smooth transition, and he _moaned_.

"Wow," the gryffindor commented, leaning back a bit.

Edward took the bloodpop out of his mouth and eyed it.  
"This is terrific," he said.  
"I gathered that," Harry told him in a tight voice. "Is it always like that?" he asked. "When you have blood?"  
The vampire shifted in near embarassment. "A lot of the time. If I am very hungry. Feeding can be very... Intense. Mates often hunt together, because it is well, erotic."

"Yeah, I can imagine," Harry chuckled, his eyes sparkling.

Suddently Edward became very tense.  
"What?"  
"Don't _ever_try to watch me hunt, clear? I don't care how many guards or charms or whatever. I couldn't... Just don't, okay?"

Harry crinkled his eyebrows together. "Okay, okay, whatever you say."  
Edward stared him down for a moment longer, until something "psssst"ed from the floor between them.

Harry frowned at the card, cased in a bright orange envelope. As he hesitantly broke the seal, he felt the familiar tingling magic of a howler, and the parchment promptly burst into an oragami chicken, which excitedly spoke aloud in George Weasley's voice.

_"Hiya Harry! Happy Christmas. I hope vacation's treating you well. Listen, Ron and Hermione were here a couple weeks ago and let slip that some crazy stuff was going down. Hermione knows where you are, by the way, but wouldn't say. Practically bouncing in her seat, she was, before she swore herself to secrecy. Clever girl. So I'm wanting to know who the care package is for. Ron mentioned a vampire acquaintance, hope they appreciate the pops you requested. Lastly, my good man, I hear from the previously mentioned informants that there may be a bit of romance in the golden boy's life? My eyebrow are wagging, mate. She a pretty bird?"_

The gryffindor blushed horribly and groaned a soft "oh no..." But the chicken continued to speak at them.

_"I figure you must have told her 'bout magic, or else you wouldn't gift charmed stuff. If not, well then have fun explaining this lot. She can have the chicken when it finishes it's job. It's called a 'fowler.' One of Fred's less original ideas from our youth, but I figured I owed it to him. Proud of you, mate. Enjoy your ladyfriend.  
Cheers, George Weasley."_

The chicken clucked casually and ruffled its paper wings, then, without warning, laid two rather large eggs on the floor, and in a puff of feathers, became a plushy chicken. Harry picked up the stuffed toy and inspected it for signs of further magic before handing it to Edward with a smirk.

"For you, sweetheart." he said sweetly.  
The vampire took the thing, placed it beside him with a grin and patted its head. "I'll give it to Alice, if you don't mind."  
The wizard laughed.  
"So how bout we finish sorting through this box another time, and you give me your present." he prompted cheekily.

Edward shifted, a nervous gesture Harry had never seen before. "What?"  
"It's embarassing."  
"Edward. My mate from home thinks I'm dating a girl. When I go back, I'll be explaining to the entire wizarding population that I'm a flaming homo and my boyfriend eats cute, fluffy animals. I'm thinking that your Christmas present can't be nearly as chaotic as all that. On second thought, are you sure you want to give me anything? You can still back out, you know. I can obliviate you like Jacob and you wouldn't have to deal with any of my baggage and-"

Edward cut him off with a deep kiss, more insistant and emotional than any they'd shared all morning.  
"Would you _shut up._ You're life is not so _tragic_ as it once was. Please learn to get over yourself! And I'd hardly say you're _flaming. _Draco on the other hand..." he trailed off. Then Edward shot to his feet and dragged his boyfriend up after him. "Come on."  
"Where are we going?"  
"You are going to get your present now."  
"Where is it?"

Edward tugged him through the kitchen to the double sliding glass doors, giving them both a view of the wonderland that had accumulated in the backyard over the last few days. On the snow-covered deck that stretched forth from the doors, a grand piano stood proudly; it's reflective black surface impressively gleaming in the sparkling light of the winter morning. The area around the piano was dry, and no snow fell upon it, though the ground surrounding was still white and untouched.

"Wow," Harry exhaled in suprise. "Who helped you with this?"

Edward watched his boyfriend's happy face with pleasure. "I brought the piano here yesterday (which was rather comical, according to Emmett,) and Dedaulus shrank it for me. He told me that he would handle atmosphere and all that. It looks like he really came through." he grinned.

"So you got me a piano?"  
"God no," Edward laughed. "The piano's still mine. The gift is that, I uh, I wrote you a song," he finished with an embarassed brush of his fingers through his soft bronze hair. Harry didn't look at him, but continued to gaze out of the window at the piano. When he spoke, his breath misted the glass in front of him.

"You are so freaking adorable," he commented quietly.  
Edward groaned. "Let's go." and tugging his wizard once more, pulled him outside to where his present stood. Harry waited for the frigid winter outside to bite his bare chest as Edward carelessly threw the door open, but as gooseflesh erupted up his arms in a false response, the wizard noticed that the air outside was not cold. In fact, as Edward sat upon the piano bench and beckoned Harry to join him, he found that he was warm, comfortable, and quite ready to experience Edward's musical gift. The seat creaked as the couple settled their combined weight, and Edward rested his elegant fingers comfortably on the proper keys. Before he could start though, he seemed to think better of it and talked instead.

"I will not rest, until I have convinced you that you are not responsible for everything," he told his boyfriend quietly, looking at his own hands.

"I started writing this song after our... Break. Because before I met you, all I wanted to do was fall asleep, forever. But then you came here, with all your emotional baggage and a baby and you're a wizard of all things. You've got this amazing, confusing, awful other life that's screwed you over completely... But it's in the past. It will always be a part of you, but you can't let it rule you anymore because you have other stuff to live for. And I can't let my issue dictate me anymore. Because I've got you to exist for."

He breathed deeply in the silence, watching Harry for a reaction. The wizard bit his lip awkwardly and then nodded.  
"Okay. Let me hear it."  
Edward half smiled, and refocused on the piano once more.

As the first notes rang through the crisp, still atmosphere, Harry was entraced. He felt the music surround him and settle deep in the pit of his torso as it flowed through his ears and rang resonantly in his chest and ears. And then, the breath caught in harry's throat as Edward began to sing.

_I could stay awake, just to hear you breathing,  
Watch you smile while you're sleeping  
While you're far away and dreaming.  
I could spend my life, in this sweet surrender  
I could stay lost in this moment, forever  
Where every moment spent with you is a moment I treasure_

_Don't want to close my eyes,_  
_I don't want to fall asleep_  
_'cause I'd miss you, babe_  
_And I don't want to miss a thing_  
_And even if dreamed of you,_  
_the sweetest dreams would never do,_  
_I'd still miss you, babe_  
_And I don't want to miss a thing_

_Lying close to you, feeling your heart beating,_  
_and I'm wondering what you're dreaming,_  
_wondering if it's me you're seeing_  
_And I kiss your eyes, and thank God we're together_  
_I just want to stay with you, in this moment forever_

_Don't want to close my eyes,_  
_I don't want to fall asleep_  
_'cause I'd miss you, babe_  
_And I don't want to miss a thing_  
_And even if dreamed of you,_  
_the sweetest dreams would never do,_  
_I'd still miss you, babe_  
_And I don't want to miss a thing_

_I don't want to miss one smile,_  
_I don't want to miss one kiss,_  
_I just want to be with you, right here with you,_  
_Just like this_  
_I just want to hold you close,_  
_And feel your heart beat by my side_  
_And just stay here in this moment_  
_for all the rest of time_

_Don't want to close my eyes,_  
_I don't want to fall asleep_  
_'cause I'd miss you, babe_  
_And I don't want to miss a thing_  
_And even if dreamed of you,_  
_the sweetest dreams would never do,_  
_I'd still miss you, babe_  
_And I don't want to miss a thing_

_Don't want to close my eyes,_  
_I don't want to fall asleep_  
_'cause I'd miss you, babe_  
_And I don't want to miss a thing_

The final notes faded away with the clever, gentle motions of Edward's hands, and Harry found himself incredibly sad that it was over.  
"That was beautiful," he whispered, afraid to ruin the stillness of the picturesque moment.  
"Thankyou," his boyfriend answered.  
"Is that what you were singing when I woke up the other day?"  
"Yes."  
"I liked it. Alot."  
"I'm glad," Edward laughed. "Since I wrote it for you."

Harry reached up and gripped the hair at the base of Edward's head and dragged him down for a deep kiss for the umpteenth time that day.

"Can you play me something else?" he asked a bit breathlessly a while later. The vampire rose his eyebrows.  
"If that's the thanks I get, I'll play for you all day, any day," he said cheekily.  
Harry stuck his tongue out, and quickly pulled it back when Edward playfully nipped at him. They tousled back and forth on the bench for a bit, and Harry braced both of his hands against Edward's right side pushing with all his might.  
Edward didn't move.  
Instead he lifted an arm and knocked Harry's left shoulder, launching the lightweight gryffindor into the snow beside them with a shout.  
"Hey!" Harry protested and Edward roared with laughter. "Now you _have_ to play me a song."  
"Request something."  
"Have you written anything else?"  
"Nothing with words." Harry couldn't help but feel touched. In a century his boyfriend had had no words for music, until now.  
"Alright. I know one song, that reminds me of you a bit now. Hermione was singing it once, and I don't really know it, but if _you_ do, then-"  
"Harry! What's the song?"  
"oh. Uhm, it was like 'sing me a song, you piano man.' " he warbled awkwardly.

"_Piano Man_?" Edward asked him. "Billy Joel, released as his first major hit, November 1973. Like this?" he plunked out the beginning melody with his right hand, and Harry smiled.

"Yes! That's it!"  
"Come here, and I'll play it for you." Harry rejoined the ever-teen on the bench.

_It's nine oclock on a Saturday,_  
_the regular crowd shuffles in,_  
_There's an old man sitting next to me,_  
_makin' love to his tonic and gin._

_He says 'Son, can you play me a memory,'_  
_I'm not really sure how it goes,_  
_but it's sad and it's sweet and I knew it complete_  
_when I wore a younger man's clothes._

_La la la di da da_  
_La la di di da da dum..._

When Edward finished the final chorus he ended the song with a flourish and smiled at Harry.  
"That's actually a pretty sad song," Harry commented.  
"Yeah, it's deceiving if you don't really hear the lyrics." he put an arm around Harry's waist and they both watched the stillness of the snow-laden trees around them.  
"I feel so tacky," Edward told him.  
"Why?"  
"This was a cheesey present."

Harry quickly pushed himself up off the bench  
"Don't you ever think that," he said sternly. "I went ten years in a cupboard having received coat hangers and mud pies for gifts. You give me a jumper? I'm thrilled. Purchase a book? I'm ecstatic. But you _wrote me a song, _played me music from your _heart."  
_Edward flinched, but the wizard ignored it.  
"You can't find anyone in the world who appreciates this present more than I do. You gave me my very own piano man. You can understand me, and comfort me, and make me happier than ever. Please don't think that's not worth anything."

"Hey, hey, calm down," Edward said softly and stood.  
"I get it."

Placing his hands on Harry's waist from behind, he bent his head and kissed his boyfriend's neck, thankful for the deodorAnt in his pocket preventing the rush of venom he had become accustomed to. Harry turned his head away, denying his boyfriend and still breathing unevenly.

"Oh, come on," Edward coerced. "It's Christmas, and I'm sorry..." he said teasingly, offering, in a sing-song sort of tone. Harry smiled, unable to help it.  
"There we go," Edward continued in the same tone- like one tempting a kitten out of its hiding place.

He used his fingers to tilt the wizard's chin toward him and they kissed languidly over Harry's shoulder. Edward's hands trailed upward from their place on Harry's hips, coming up to caress abs, then a firm chest before moving downward to slip thumbs just beneath the waistband of his sleep pants, exploring. Then they moved upward once more; cold hands brushed his nipples, teased his sides, and Harry shivered. _"Oh, god."_ he shuddered into Edward's mouth as they shared the same breath.  
" 'Edward,' will do," the vampire hummed quietly.  
"Shut up," Harry responded, though it sounded more like _"mmhmph."_Harry's right hand came up to grip and tangle in Edward's hair once more, and his left dangled at his side until it was taken up by his boyfriend's- their fingers entwining and coming to rest on Harry's warm and fluttering stomach. It was slow and apologetic, as well as hot and desperate, as their mouths slid over one another and tempted soft sounds of appreciation from both Harry and Edward.

Finally, too soon, Edward stepped back and detached himself slowly.  
"No-" Harry half-pleaded.  
"Yes."  
"Come on, Harrison," the vampire encouraged with a hand outstretched. "I have to get the piano indoors again, as well as the fact that I want to know more about my Weasley presents."

Harry very nearly pouted. "But-"

Edward cut off the protest, covering pleading lips with his own, and then they parted once more with the sweet sound of a soft kiss.

"Later, Harrison. I promise."

* * *

**Note: THANKS FOR READING THIS MESSAGE. I DON'T OWN THE SONGS, AND I ALTERED THE LYRICS TO "DON'T WANT TO MISS A THING" SO THAT IT WOULD MAKE SENSE COMING FROM EDWARD. DONT SEND ME MESSAGES TELLING ME THAT I GOT THEM WRONG. I KNOW!**

I don't like the aerosmith version of that song. I much prefer country- Mark Chessnut's randition specifically, but i don't think Edward has that sort of twang... I like the smooth quality of a country voice without the accent for edward, and just the piano accompanyment to the song. Feel free to look it up on Youtube.

If any of you out there don't know Billy Joel's Piano Man, get out from under your rock and go look it up.

To my 1000th reviewer, your cameo will be coming up eventually, i promise!

Thanks so much to everyone for everything, hopefully i will update again soonish!  
-darkestAngel13


	30. Chapter 30

Hey there! Sorry for the delay. I had surgery recently and am finally up and around again for the most part. Fortunately, I used my bed-time to write up more chapters. Wish I had a laptop or I would have been posting them! As it is, I am just now editing and posting. Hope you enjoy! It's Christmastime here at Piano Man! Please see Author's Note at the End!

* * *

Jacob, I'm sorry."  
"No, Billy. It's excellent. I love it. Really."

The quileute was sitting cross-legged on the floor at the base of a rather squashed-looking Christmas tree. The tree was almost comically decorated; some ornaments at a 4-foot height, (the reach from Billy's chair) and some tinsel and other decorations tossed with half a heart several feet further up, within reach of Jacob's towering bulk. The werewolf clutched a new tshirt in his hands, the black material glistening with the sweeping design of a silver dragon.

"Son, you needed clothes with the rate you're tearing through them. I just was grabbing things in your size-"  
"No, dad. It's fine. Nice material, I bet it will fit great." he put the garment back in its flat box and piled the rest of his gifts on top.  
"Would you mind if I went back to bed?" he asked quietly.  
Billy sighed. "Go ahead. I'll leave some breakfast on your table."  
"Thanks."  
Jake stood awkwardly, gathered his stack close to his chest and lumbered from the room. He entered his own, where he dropped everything on top of the accumulated pile of clothing, trash, and schoolwork. He then tossed himself onto his bed, which squeaked in protest, and buried his face under a pillow.

"Merry Christmas," he huffed to no one.  
Without uncovering himself, he reached a long arm to his side table and opened a drawer. From within he pulled out a small box, which he flipped the lid off of. He fingered the object gently in his warm hand, remembering the texture and shape of it. It was smooth, wooden, strung on a cord of leather and framed on both sides with two of the smallest, purest red feathers he could find. It had taken him a week and a half to carve- his big fingers kept splintering the deep black wood. Finally, it had been perfect; the image of a wolf, small but clearly powerful, threaded ever so gently with the pliable thin leather he and all the Quileutes wore.  
It was beautiful.  
He brushed his thumb once more over the carefully textured design, then crushed it completely in his fist. He felt the fragile carving shatter in his grip, and slowly dragged the hand, still closed tight, under his pillow to tuck under his chin.  
He breathed heavily; deeply and evenly, and drifted off to sleep.

"Jake?"  
"Hm."  
"Sam says he needs to talk to you."  
"What?"  
"Sam. Sam Uley. He's out back, says that you need to have a chat."

The werewolf blearily opened his eyes and pushed his longish hair out of his face. He was feeling sweaty and sticky- the gross grogginess of sleeping for too long in one position. He blinked wearily, noticing that his room was cast in shadow, and he could only see the dark outline of his father's face. Billy looked down at his son sadly, and ran a strong hand through the tangled hair.

"It's past seven," he said. "You slept for ten hours."  
Over the course of the day, two trays had been lovingly placed on the bedside table; one holding a stack of now-dry pancakes and a glass of juice that looked like it had settled for just a bit to long. The other was a sandwich on Italian bread- sausage and peppers by the look of it. Jacob wasn't hungry.

"Did Sam say what he wanted?"  
"Just that you needed to talk. He was very demanding about it."  
"Fine." With a mighty effort he hefted himself up and looked around his room for a pair of shorts. As he changed, Billy seemed to flounder for words.

"Jake, I know we're close, but sometimes I worry that I'm not being a father."  
Jake didn't answer.  
"I talked to your older sisters about this once- never imagined I'd have to say it to you... Not that I judge or anything. Hell, an imprint's an imprint..."  
Jake crossed his arms, towering over his father's seated form.  
"What are you saying, Billy? Because if you're not going to spit it out then I'll go find Sam-"  
"I'm just saying that I know you, being who and what you are, would never want to be... Would never think that you could be... a victim. But _anyone_ can be a victim, Son. And if this kid Draco-

"Draco never_ hurt_ me, Dad." Jacob interrupted, a bit angry. "I mean, he hurt me. But he didn't _hurt_ me."  
"I just had to be sure."  
"Don't worry about me, Dad. I'll be fine. It's- it's dust in the wind."  
He brushed his hand roughly against his shorts, feeling the grit of small splinters fall away from his sweaty palm.  
"I'll be back later. Merry Christmas, Billy."  
And he left.

Jacob trudged out the back door, letting it slam shut behind him. The clatter of its simple frame echoed through the woods before getting lost in the sound of crashing waves nearby. His bare feet resisted the bite of the snow which coated the ground in a simple but thorough layer of fluffy white. Wanting to avoid the literal headache of phasing, he continued on in human form until he met Sam. The elder werewolf was curled at the base of a tree not far in, the early evening throwing him in partial shadows which made his large eyes glisten. He shifted with ease, unabashedly naked in front of his  
brother, and motioned for the two of them to sit down.

"Jacob," he said, getting straight to business. "the boys have been mentioning some things about your phasing. I noticed too, but I wasn't going to say anything until, well, it's gotten worse lately and now I'm curious."

"I think I'm going to lose the power, Sam. I get massive headaches. Even if I'm capable of phasing, I don't want to do it anymore if all I get is a migraine."

"Have you talked to Billy?"  
"He's worried about me enough."  
"How are you?"  
"Peachy."  
"How's Draco?"  
Jacob gave him an incredulous look- "You think I _know_?"  
Now it was Sam's turn to be shocked. "Jacob, you haven't even talked to him?"  
"What the fuck am I supposed to say, Sam?" Jake exploded. "Hey Baby, I'm damned near pining in my own house, hope you're as freaking miserable as me!" He shook his head. "He doesn't give a damn, and he doesn't want me to talk to him."

"Even when Emily and I were apart for a while, we still-"  
"Yeah well this isn't the same! I'm not you, and Draco certainly isn't Emily!"

"I'm just saying that you should probably talk with him- find out what happened. What did happen, Jake?"  
"I'd like to know that too, Sam."  
"You don't have any idea?"  
"No! Everything was great and fun and I don't know. I grabbed his dick at the bar, maybe I shouldn't have done that but he didn't seem_ angry_, we laughed about it."  
Sam seemed a bit uncomfortable with this raw confession from his packmate.

"Jake I need to tell you something."  
The younger flopped down to the ground, settling himself in the slushy snow around him and stared up at the darkening sky.  
"Shoot."  
"You know how when we transform, we see eachother's thoughts?"  
"No Sam, I had no idea."  
"Don't be smart with me, Jacob Black, I am trying to be serious."  
"Fine, fine, continue then."  
"Jake, when we transform you've been projecting these thoughts that well, frankly they're disturbing."  
"I'm sure you've had wet dreams before, Sam. The pack will get over it." He stood up and angrily shook the water from his hair before trudging off away from Sam.

"Is 'Lucius' Draco's father?" Sam called after him, the words echoing loudly off the trees. Jacob slowly turned.  
"How do you-"  
"What happened?"  
"When?"  
"You know damn well when!" Sam exploded. "When you were watching Edward Cullen rip Draco's dad apart and all you did was stand there and watch! If I was Draco, I'd be pissed at you too."  
Jacob, who had been teeming throughout this discussion, now erupted.  
"What the hell are you talking about!"

"I told you! You're projecting these memories every time you transform!" Sam told him firmly. "If you'd let me talk instead of being a wise-ass we might get somewhere!"  
Jake took a deep breath, walked back over to his friend and sat down again.  
"I don't have a flying fuck's clue what is going on. So sit down, and tell me everything."  
"Fine."

Sam crouched beside his friend, his knees landing in the snow with a thud.  
"Just bear with me, alright? It's not a complete scene; it starts off with you running through trees. Then you come to a dead stop and Cullen hauls this guy against a tree. Some black haired kid-British, like Draco, calls out that his name is Lucius Malfoy. Then it's fuzzy, and then the blond guy's a bloody mess and you're just standing there doing nothing. You didn't stop that sucker from attacking a man, Jacob. I can't just stand by and not say anything about it."

Jacob shook his head, a look of furious confusion on his face.  
"You really arn't aware of any of this?" Sam asked him increduously.  
"N-no. It doesn't even seem familiar."  
"This reeks of Cullens."  
"How so?"  
"Something's messing with your mind, Jacob. I only know one thing that  
can do that- Edward Cullen."

* * *

Harry woke slowly, unsure whether or not he wanted to take a healing potion for the sting in his rear or the dull ache at the base of his spine. Sunlight (and a frigid breeze) was streaming in through the window and he pulled the cover more tightly over his naked torso as he blinked against the brightness. When the flashes of white lights disappeared, he smiled as his lover swam into view. Perched in the open window wearing nothing but boxers, his pale skin outlined by the  
blinding sun behind him, Edward smiled back gently.

"Morning."  
"Morning. Happy Boxing day."

Edward's eyes crinkled at the corners like they did when he found something funny. "No one celebrates that here."

Harry stretched, feeling that ache again and grimacing against his will. "I know. Come here."

"I... I can't."

Harry pushed himself up on one elbow, squinting and making sure the covers kept him warm. "You okay?"

"I'm great! Fantastic, I just really need to go hunt."

Harry took notice of his boyfriend's darkened eyes. "Why didn't you go?"

"I didn't want you to wake up alone. I've had four of those pops, but I don't want to waste them."

The wizard smiled. "I'm fine. Go ahead, I'll still be here when you come back."

Edward grasped the window ledge, looking for all the world like he just wanted to join the gryffindor back in bed, but he restrained himself. He tucked one leg beneath himself until he was halfway out the window.  
"I love you," he tossed tenderly over his shoulder.

Harry smiled as the figure disappeared and nestled down deeper in the blankets to finish sleeping.

He woke again, this time loving the feel of his boyfriend's cool fingers combing through his mess of hair. He caught Edward's strong hand and kissed the palm softly. He rolled cautiously to a side and reached up to kiss his lover's lips. They lay that way, kissing casually and lovingly for quite a while before speaking.

"You were really dark earlier," Harry commented regarding the concerning color of the vampire's eyes.  
"It was a difficult night," Edward admitted, but then hurried to rectify that statement. "I loved it, I mean." he said. "You were terrific and it was, it was..." he cupped Harry's cheek, then ran his hand up to brush the slightly sweaty hair from his forehead. "I love you."

Harry's blush deepened. "I love you too."  
Edward cleared his throat. "There were some damages," he began, sounding embarassed.

"What?"

Edward gestured to the bed around them, and Harry sat up. The sheets flaunted straight shreds, running the length of Harry's body, but most prominently on either side of the pillows- some of which were ripped and leaking their feathered stuffing. The gryffindor picked up an innocent white feather and stroked it with a finger while he took in the rest of the damage. The darkwood headboard was splintered and scratched in two deep imprints the size of Edward's  
hands. The wizard twisted quickly to look back at his bashful boyfriend, laughter in his eyes, and tried to hide the wince that accompanied the movement. Edward's eyes grew wide and he quickly grasped the comforter that covered his lover. He tugged it gently down and groaned at the bruises that starkly adorned harry's hips and thighs. Edward, gently  
as a breeze, caressed the bruises with the pads of his fingers; up his thighs, down the crease of his groin, then down across the unblemished manhood which lay, tired and flaccid, nestled there.  
"I'm sorry," he murmered so that Harry could only just hear him. "So sorry."

The gryffindor's lips quirked in a smile "I'm not," he assured the abashed vampire. "I can fix it, and it really doesn't hurt much." he pulled his lover up so that the vampire hovered over him.  
"And," he whispered, "I would do it again." and he brought their mouths together.

Two hours or so had passed; the headboard was repaired, the bedding replaced. Edward had carefully massaged a bruise salve into his boyfriend's skin.  
As the black and blues faded, the couple shuffled themselves into the bathroom, embracing and touching while hot water poured down over them and steam filled the room.

* * *

"Nice hickey, Potter." Draco commented dryly as the two entered the livingroom. The blond was sprawled on the couch in his pyjamas, a notebook on his lap half-filled with writing on one page. He was engaged in a program on the television. Teddy was nearby, bouncing merrily in a contraption called a Jumper that Esme had bought for him. Draco had assembled it and it was suspended from the kitchen doorway. Harry fingered the mark that he knew was just under his jawline, over  
his pulsepoint. He had chosen not to heal this particular blemish, just as he had done nothing to stop the tender ache in his rear. Edward had his arm around his waist and leaned over to nuzzle the mark.

"Cut it out," Draco complained drawlingly as he directed his attention back to the screen.  
To spite the slytherin, Harry yanked Edward down by the collar and thoroughly snogged him- he pulled back laughing but upon facing the blond his face fell.

"Oh come on, Dray!" he called after the retreating back.  
"Screw you, Harry!"  
"Draco!"  
"Quite a limp, you've got there, Harry. Congratulations, Cullen."  
"You're being an asshole," Harry snapped at him.  
"Well you're-" he was cut off by the sound of the doorbell.

"What's that?"  
"It's the doorbell," Harry informed the pureblood. "It means someone is at the front door, but I don't have a clue who it could be..."  
Harry shrugged Edward's hand off his shoulder and made his way through the house to the entranceway. Peering through the clouded glass, his eyebrows rose in suprise and he pulled open the door.

"Jacob," he greeted. "Happy Christmas."  
"Hey," the wolf grunted. "Yeah, you too. Listen, Cullen is here, right? I mean, we can't go to his house because of the treaty but you smell godawful and I know he's here a lot so... Is he here?"  
"Yes," Harry cocked his head. "Why?"  
"We need to talk to him."

"We?" Harry knew there couldn't be anyone else around- the property wards would have sounded.  
"Me and Sam- he got lost trying to get here but I remembered the way and I could smell... Look if this is a trust or safety thing, then you can ask Draco. He's met Sam and can tell you he's a good man. At least, I think he would."

"I'm not concerned about Edward's safety, he can handle himself."

Steps approached from behind the wizard and Jacob automatically perked up, glancing beyong Harry to see who was coming. His shoulders slumped when Edward rounded the corner.  
"Black."  
"Cullen."  
"We need to talk."

* * *

"I'm telling you, I didn't break the treaty."  
"You attacked a human!"  
"I was _protecting_ humans too!"  
"So you don't deny it?"  
"Of course not, I don't lie."  
"Oh please."  
"What is that supposed to mean?"

Sam eyed Edward as though he were stupid. "You're telling me you've never lied?"  
"Not directly, I don't believe so."  
"So you walk around telling humans that you're immortal and drink blood."  
"Certainly not. Do you walk around sharing your ability? And I'm not immortal. No, I've just never denied it. It's rarely guessed, you know. Most humans believe vampires to be mythical."  
"Most?"  
"There are exceptions." Edward reclined back against a tree and smirked at the two werewolves before him.

"You mean like your boyfriend?" Jacob suggested.  
The vampire nodded. "And yours."  
"Draco's not my boyfriend."  
"He was."  
"Shut up. We're not here to talk about him."  
"I disagree."

Sam stood up and, ignoring the burning distaste in his nose towered over the vampire. "Why don't you tell us everything. Start from the beginning."  
"I cannot and will not," Edward replied calmly. "And before you cut me off again-" (Sam's open mouth snapped shut) "let me tell you why."

"First of all, it is not my business to tell. Second, many things could be resolved here if Jacob and Draco would swallow their pride and actually talk."  
Sam growled. "Fine. Then tell me why you messed around with Jake's head."  
"That wasn't me."  
"Then who was it?"  
"I don't know."  
"You don't know?"  
"That's what I said."  
"Did you see what happened?"  
"Sure."  
"But _you don't know who did it_?"  
"Not a clue. He never gave me a name." Edward struggled to retain his laughter. It was too fun to mess with the Quileutes.

"You sonofabitch."  
"Now, must you call me names? I've been nothing but cooperative. I told you, all of this could probably go away if your puppy there just talked to Malfoy."

Jacob nodded stubbornly. "Fine. And the migraines?"  
"What migraines?"  
Sam interrupted. "Every time Jake phases, he projects these memories-the one of you ripping apart Lucius Malfoy. But he doesn't remember it at all. And then he gets headaches."  
Sam eyed Edward calculatingly., accusingly.

"I swear to you- I did not mess with his head. It wasn't me! And the human is still alive, so you can quit accusing me of breaking the treaty."  
"But you don't deny that you attacked a man?"

Edward stood up- he was eyelevel with the barechested Quileute.  
"If you knew what I know, you wouldn't care if I ripped him to shreds and threw him to the Volturi." he said quietly.  
Sam wrinkled his nose.  
Then Edward shifted his attention to Jacob.  
"Talk to Draco," he said again. Then he turned and left them to go back to Harry.

* * *

Edward made the jump with ease from the wintery backyard to the wide window in his room. Whistling tunelessly, he made his way to his stereo before he froze, and slowly turned on the spot. Jasper, Emmett, Rosalie, and Alice were gathered innocently on his leather couch, grinning widely at him.

"Good afternoon," he greeted them warily.  
"Yes, good afternoon, Edward," Jasper smirked back at him.  
"Wanna tell us _how _good?" Emmett added with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

Rosalie swatted him. "Don't be stupid, Emmett," she scolded.  
Edward was grateful for her for a moment- but only for a moment.

"Clearly it was a good _evening._" she stressed. "Possibly even a good _morning_," she added, "if there was a repeat peeformance, but it's only afternoon just now, and he's here with us. " she laughed.

Edward couldn't bring himself to be embarassed. He simply waited out their teasing and when the giggles had subsided he glanced at his remaining sibling. "Do you have anything to add, Alice?" he asked her.

She smiled sweetly. "Edward," she began with a flourish as she stood up and took his hand. "When I first saw this day coming you were a brooding boy desolately plinking notes of a piano, and I said to myself; 'Self, Edward needs  
this spark in his existance. You will not torture him about it.' " She kissed his knuckles and her eyes sparkled up at him.

"Really?" he asked skeptically.  
She nodded.  
"However," she continued. "That was before you came home whistling Dixie and smelling absolutely devine!" and with a tinkling laugh she twirled away to Jasper's lap where she plopped down delicately. "So how was it?" she finished.

Edward looked around at his siblings, all of them staring unblinkingly back at him, waiting for his answer.  
"It was... Incredible," he finally claimed, somewhat lamely. He dropped down heavily into a chair and covered his face as the hollers started up again.  
Around the seventeenth disbelieving "Eddie got_ laid_!" from Emmett he simply stood up and left the room. Upon entering the kitchen, he found Esme and Carlisle at the table sharing a newspaper.

"Don't pretend you didn't hear them, or that you can't smell him all over me," he said blandly.  
His parents looked at each other before eyeing him carefully, but silently.

"You mean you arn't going to say something?" he prompted.  
Esme smiled and patted his arm. "I'm happy for you, dear."

Edward half smiled. This while situation was mildly uncomfortable. With the lack of privacy, however, (being what they were,) he had no option but to face it honestly.  
Finally, Carlisle spoke. "Yes, we heard, yes, we can smell it. No, we don't want to know details." He heaved an unnecessary breath before continuing.

"I am happy for you, Edward. I just hope you are careful, and that everything stays alright." the underlying tone contained a warning that said "Don't you dare screw this up... For yourself or us."

"I am careful, Carlisle. And don't worry. Harry's my singer. I would never ruin this."

* * *

Harry lay awake on his bed, playing with Teddy. He had the boy laughing and squealing as he tickled his feet and blew on his belly. Harry then cupped his own hands to the sides of his head- like a horse's blinders- and pushed his face close to his godson's. The little boy, brave and curious, poked his bright-eyed face right into the tunnel and popped his nose with Harry's. The elder wizard jumped at the close proximity and laughed along before getting close again.

"Dark, Teddy!" he said as Teddy entered the tunnel again, their foreheads touching. "Dark!"  
Remus' son took his own small hands and patted his godfather's bigger ones.  
"Dark!" he parroted, clear as day.

Harry was so shocked he dropped his hands. "Yes, Teddy, 'dark!' "

"Dark," Teddy said again, nodding his head. Then, already bored with his game, he reached for his wolf and stuck an ear in his mouth.  
"Moony," he added, though the sound was muffled by his chewing; it  
sounded more like "mhnee". Harry scooped up the child, Moony still gripped in his gums, and tore from the room.

"DRACO!"

No answer.

"Draco!"

He sped down the steps, careful of Teddy in his arms, and went into the livingroom. There he found the slytherin sprawled on the couch for a nap.

"Draco," he said roughly. "Get up," and he plopped Teddy on his chest with an "oof" from the blonde.  
"What?" Draco asked, irritably.  
"I win."  
"I know, Potter. You've been "winning" every night for the past four days."  
Harry cross his arms. "I have not," he said, sounding offended. Draco raised an eyebrow at him.  
"Not _every_ night."  
Draco scowled.

"Whatever, that's not what I meant anyway. Teddy said his first word."  
Draco threw back his head and groaned. "He said "Harry"?" he asked disbelievingly. "What a waste of speech!"  
"Well, no, he didn't say my name, but I was the one to get him to talk, so I win."

Draco sat up again, holding Teddy around his small sides.  
"That wasn't the bet, I still have a chance! What did he say?"  
"Dark."  
"Dark? That's so boring." He took a hold of Moony and gently tugged it from Teddy's mouth. He consistently tried to ween Teddy from such things.  
"Boring? What's boring about 'dark'?" Harry wanted to know.  
"It doesn't get him anywhere. He doesn't gain anything from saying 'dark.'"  
"He needs to gain something? Like what? What was your first word then?"  
" 'Want' ."  
"Seriously?"  
"Well, Father insisted that it was 'wand,' but mother told me otherwise. Definitely 'want.'"  
"Draco Malfoy, a demanding infant. Why am I not suprised?" Harry drawled.  
"Suck a dick, Potter."  
Harry smirked.

* * *

NOTE: YayYayYay! Teddy's first word! To my 1000th reviewer, your cameo is in the next chapter. I feel bad for talking it up, as I fear it won't be terribly exciting, but I do hope you enjoy it!  
So, Edward and Harry have 'done the deed' as the old folks say. As I mentioned at the start of this fic, I do not intend to write a detailed smut scene. Sorry. Though I am older than the 15 year old me that began this story, I'm still not comfortable with it. Oh well. I hope you are enjoying things so far. Please send me a review with your opinions on pace, development, and content, or anything else that tickles your fancy. THANKS FOR READING AND REVIEWING!

Peace, Love, and Cookies,  
darkestAngel13


	31. Chapter 31

Author's Note: Okay so I just uploaded this and literally reared back in my seat when I saw that it was 13,000 words. Had no idea I made this chapter so long! So it is now New Year's Eve. Hope you enjoy! Please continue to review! Oh, and see the Author's Note at the end as well. Thanks! (P.S. Did I mention that I don't own anything? Yeah, thought so.)

* * *

The news of Teddy's first word was taken delightedly by Dedalus, who had great fun playing "nox and lumos" with the babbling boy.

"Do you think we're doing okay with him?" Harry asked the older wizard on New Year's Eve.

Harry, Edward, Draco, Dedalus, and the entire guard were gathered throughout the main floor of the house; they ate and drank as the hours passed. Dedalus was perched in the center of an overlarge armchair, the sleeping Teddy sprawled floppily over his bony knees. Remus' son was dreaming peacefully, his nose twitching occasionally with the knowledge of Edward's presense nearby. His hair was a soft golden, with long eyelashes brushing his baby-smooth cheeks to match.  
Dedalus rubbed his back soothingly.

"Harry," he answered finally. "Remus was a great, great man. And Nymphadora, for all her quirks, was a lovely witch- a hufflepuff, like myself, did you know? The two of them made a wise decision making you Teddy's godfather. He will grow  
up brave, and powerful, and very happy, if I do say so myself. Don't worry so, my lad."

Harry smiled fondly, if not a bit shyly, and leaned back against his boyfriend's knees. Edward was sat on the couch, Viktor Krum beside him and a man named Munsch was further down. Harry was on the floor, where he had been playing with Teddy before the child tuckered out. Edward raked his fingers through Harry's clean, smooth hair.  
"Mmm," the wizard hummed distractedly.

Munsch eyed the pair cautiously. Harry, feeling a gaze upon him, opened his eyes and looked over at this member of his guard. He didn't know Munsch well. He knew the man was partially retired- not old, but simply tired of fieldwork- and had been mostly doing paperwork at the ministry before Kingsley snached him up for a guard position. He was divorced, recently so, something that was rare but not taboo within the wizarding society.  
"Problem, Munsch?" Harry asked neutrally.  
"No."  
"Seems like you've got a problem," he continued. The gryffindor took Edwards wrist and held it over his shoulder, then turned his head and kissed the palm tenderly.  
"Something bothering you?"  
"No, sir."  
"Dont call me 'sir'."  
"No, Potter, I don't have a problem," the man ammended.  
Harry laced his fingers with Edward's and nestled further back, spreading Edward's thighs and resting his head upon the vampire's lap.  
"Then you wouldn't mind not staring, would you? Only, it's awfully rude."  
Munsch nodded and redirected his attention to a raucous game going on in the kitchen. His distracted observance lasted but a moment before something within him ticked and he faced the couple again.  
"How-" he began, before stopping again and appearing to gather himself.  
Harry raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"  
Munsch swallowed. "What are you planning on doing?" he asked slowly. "When we go home again, I mean." he gestured at the pair with one hand.  
Harry tilted his chin up questioningly at his boyfriend. Edward offered no response.  
"I don't know precisely at this time," the gryffindor answered.  
"But what about _The Prophet_?" Munsch asked quickly.  
"What about them?"  
"Well, the moment we get back home, we're not obligated to take care of you anymore- not that you need care, and not that it hasn't been an honor," he added quickly. "Blimey, working for Harry Potter," he said loftily, as though he just realized it himself.  
"It's just, you'll be swamped by reporters. And you'll be on your own."  
"I've got my flat."  
"You're going to hide?"  
"No," Harry said heatedly.  
"But you just said-"  
"I know! Merlin, shut up! I know, I know, I know!"  
"I'm sorry," Munsch said quietly, suddenly cowed. Perhaps upon realization that Harry's wand was within reach on the nearby sidetable.  
"No, I am," the gryffindor said apologetically. "Look, don't ask me that again, okay? I don't know."  
He dropped Edward's hand none-too-gently and stood before leaving the room rapidly.

Viktor Krum, who had pressed himself firmly against the back of the couch while the exchange took place across his lap, breathed a heavy sigh and looked at the wide-eyed Munsch.  
"Vell," he said with a sort of nervous laugh. "That vos very interesting!"

Harry snapped the lid from a beer bottle and smiled at the cold hiss that issued forth. He took three, four swallows, before grimacing and taking a glance at the label.

"It's some 'light' shit," Draco informed him from behind. "Some of the guard actually went shopping this morning- they don't havea clue what's good."  
"They're on a budget," Harry tried to explain.  
"That's no excuse for crap beer," Draco laughed.

A cheer arose from the men nearby and when the wizards looked over Draco clapped a few times and hollered too.  
"What are they doing?"  
"Remember that party we were invited to a while back?"  
"I didn't go, I stayed home with Teddy."  
"It's a game called beer-pong. The muggles play it at parties and such. The more you drink, the better it gets."  
"Who's winning?"  
Draco bit his lip. "Im not really sure. Half way through my explaining it Weasley through caution to the wind and added a few twists. Frankly I don't have a clue what's going on."

Harry noticed that indeed several pingpong balls were bouncing their way across and around the long table, beating each other and seemingly fighting for an unknown goal. Bill was sitting halfway down the table, wand waving like a conductor's baton. Suddenly the balls froze, all magic gone, and dropped. Two landed with a light "plop" in beer-filled cups. With a cheer, two men grabbed these respective cups and downed their contents.

"Yes," Draco said with finalty. "I've not a clue."  
Harry shook his head. "What time is it?"  
Draco checked his watch. "10:56."  
"Are you watching the telly?"  
"At midnight? I don't know. I'll probably go to bed."  
"Dray..."  
"Harry, really. I don't need this tonight."  
"I won't kiss him if it bothers you." Harry said quietly.  
"No, it's tradition. Someone will have to put Teddy away anyway. With this lot of drunks around, he should be upstairs."  
"No one's sloshed yet."  
"At 11 I'm teaching them a game called 'dizzy bat.' "  
"Whats that?"  
"You got a beater's bat and a bludger?"  
"Ask Krum. And don't break anything."

Harry straddled a bar stool and (after sweeping several empty and half-drained plastic cups to the floor,) folded his arms on the kitchen counter top.  
"Hey," Draco said. "You okay?"  
"I dunno." Harry drank more of the beer. It wasn't so bad.  
"What's up?"  
"Stuff with Edward. You don't have to listen."  
"I want to."  
Harry eyed him curiously. "Really?"  
"Sure. If you need to talk, I'll listen."  
Harry licked his lips. "Munsch asked me what I'm 'planning to do,' once we get back home."  
Draco remained silent.  
"So," Harry continued, "I don't know what I'm planning to do. I want to go home, that's where I belong, but I can't leave Edward behind, and how am I supposed to deal with _The Prophet_ breathing down my neck? _And_ did you know that I'm Witch Weakly's most eligible bachelor this year? What do I do about that? Send a letter to the editor, maybe;_ 'Dear ladies, sorry to bust your perverted hopes and __dreams but I am now perfectly happy dating a bloke from the United_  
_States. Love, Harry.'_" The gryffindor recited sarcastically.

Draco whistled through his teeth.  
"Okay," he began. "First, which one is Munsch?"  
"The one with the beard."  
"The pubic hair beard?" Draco asked, horrified.  
"Draco!"  
"Dont tell me you haven't noticed."  
"I noticed."  
"So what's wrong with me saying it outloud? We both know it looks awful."  
"Its the principle of the thing."  
"What does that even mean? Seriously?"  
"Not the point. Can we please get back on track?"  
"Yes. Okay. Second, you _do_ belong in England. You've got the speech and tea and everything, not to mention that the American wizarding institutions are vastly underclass. They wouldn't appreciate you like the Europeans do."  
Harry tried to hide a smile. Draco was trying to cheer him up.  
"Third, you've handled the media before, you can do it again."  
"But what about-"  
"Being gay?"  
Harry nodded.  
"Your display at highschool went well."  
"I'm not snogging for reporters."  
"Fine then. Do it the boring way. I'd say simply introduce your vampire to society by just having him with you. Don't purposely draw attention- it will come anyway, and people will draw their own conclusions. People will believe what they want to believe, Harry, which brings us to my fourth point. You haven't been Witch Weekly's most eligible since October. I stole your spotlight after people noticed I was missing. Apparently "mysterious and dangerous" is sexy now."  
"What? How do you know?"

Draco evaded the question, suddenly very interested in the magic game of beerpong again.  
Harry smirked. "Accio, Draco's magazines!" he called.  
"What? No!" Draco attempted to wrestle the recently appeared stack of periodicals away from his friend, but Harry placed his palm against the blond's forehead and held him with ease before sticking his butt to a chair with a charm.

"Let's see," he began playfully.  
He flipped through the stack.  
"_Pureblood Society Today_? God that sounds stuffy." He continued to flip.  
"_Playwizard_? Honestly, Draco."  
"Oi! I nicked that from Blaise sixth year."  
"Ah, but you still have it."  
"They're not available by owl-order, and it would be inapporpriate to publicly purchase my own."  
"Whatever you say."  
"Ah, hear we go." Harry shuffled out several glossy and brightly colored magazines from the middle of the stack.  
"Owl order to Ms. Mallory Fay?" Harry asked in shock as he read aloud from the magazine label. "Is this some sort of alter-ego, Draco?" he asked increduously.

Draco yearned to snatch the stack from his friend but he remained irritatingly motionless. "How would it look if I ordered those under my own name?"  
Hardy tried to look neutral.  
"Why do you have these?"  
Draco mumbled something.  
"What?"  
"Its got grooming spells," Draco said more clearly.  
Harry eyes the pureblood's silky hair and spotless skintone.  
"Right. And you're not gay."  
Draco glared. "Alright alright, you've had your laugh. Now let me go so I can teach those men a different game to corrupt."  
Harry cast finite incantatem at the pureblood, who rose and stretched.  
"Thanks."  
"Yeah, you too, Draco."

Draco drained the remainder of his drink and snatched up another off the counter. "Alright, lads!" he shouted, to be heard above the other men, "Backyard for a game even better than this one!"  
The large kitchen was quickly evacuated, numerous cups dropping and spilling in the process. Razor hurried after the pack, nails slipping and clacking over the wet linoleum as he ran.

Harry sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. He then plucked a bloodpop from the cabinet and filled a cup of water to take back to Edward and returned to the livingroom with his beer in the other hand. When he entered the room, he found that Krum had left, most likely to join whatever dizzy game Draco had planned. Four other men, Munsch  
among them, remained in the room, watching the tv and conversing, as did Dedalus, Teddy, and Edward. Munsch was no longer on the couch, and Harry gratefully took his place to stretch out beside his boyfriend.

"I brought you this," Harry said, handing him the pop. He put the water on the table. "And that's only because I don't fancy kissing you just after you've had one of those."  
"Thank you," Edward said gratefully. He unwrapped the lolly and stuck it in his mouth, savouring the flavor.  
"I'm sorry," he said after a while.  
"For?" Harry asked, prompting.  
"First, for not intervening during your discussion with that man," Edward said quietly.  
"Second, that you are no longer the most eligible bachelor and that you lost the title to Draco." Harry opened his mouth angrily but Edward put a finger to his lip. "And third, because I listened to your private discussion."  
Harry had to smile and kissed the finger at his mouth. "You're forgiven."

Draco allowed his thoughts to drift as the sounds of the dizzybat game became more and more faint behind him. He tugged the flaps of his charcoal-grey cap closer around his ears and swept the fringe off his forehead with one gloved hand. Razor padded softly beside him, his clumsy paws sinking into the snow with each prance. Draco's breath  
puffed out before him as he picked up his pace and walked more swiftly through the back woods. With twenty minutes to the New Year, he had no desire to be within the crowd at the house; the sentimental rambling of the well-meaning Dedalus, Teddy's peaceful slumbering, the wild behavior of the guard, those irritating and godawful muggle performances that were wasting good space and time on the telly, and Harry and Edward's sickeningly sweet affection... He didn't need to be there.

Draco watched fondly as his familiar loped his way through low brush and snow, snuffling and mewling when his muzzle became buried. Suddenly, Razor's playful actions stopped, and the panther's ears pricked somewhere to the left. He lowered his body until only his tail remained visible, twitching a steady tempo in the dark. Draco reached  
up his sleeve for his wand, but didn't draw it.  
"Who is there?" he called into the distance, a hint of caution in his tone.  
There was no answer.  
"We're armed," he warned. Claiming Razor as part of his 'we,' hopefully any assailant would think that he was not alone. Then, Razor was off like a shot, stalking something unseen in the woods with an excited growl in his throat. Draco cursed, his commands to return ignored, and went crashing after his oldest friend.

He followed the sound of Razor's clumsy steps and sped up when what sounded like a frenzy began ahead of him. Yelping mingled with Razor's soft growls, broken with sharp barks or yowls; there was certainly something _fighting_with Razor. Draco pulled his wand from it's holster and held it infront of him. He turned around a wide tree and froze, scrabbling at the bark with now scraped fingers.

"Hey!" he shouted, as loudly as he could. Razor was flipped over onto his back and pinned under one large paw of... something. The dark shape tumbled and lowered it's back as Razor squirmed.  
"You!" Draco shouted again, trying his hardest to distract the creature. He couldn't curse it- with the way Razor slipped from it's paws and began a fray once again, his aim was too risky. Then, with what looked like little effort, the thing closed it's jaws around Razor's throat and held him still; not shaking him, doing nothing to cause the fragile bones to snap, simply holding. Razor's furious squirms died down, and he began to purr.

Draco stormed forward, wand held aloft.  
"Put him the fuck down, you-"  
His gaze met that of the large creature. He could see his own reflection in the calm, chocolate gaze. He looked wild; his nose red and his hair in disarray beneath his cap, cheeks flushed with exertion and adrenaline. He took a step back and the woods around him were silent save for his own heavy breathing and that of Razor's assailant.  
His panther's purring became a steady motor in the back of his mind as he studied the creature.

It was a wolf.

A larger than life animal that terrifyingly reminded him of Greyback, one of Voldemort's favorite associates. But as  
Greyback's coat had been filthy and matted, his teeth sharp and grisly, with a constant snarl full of malace and death, this wolf's gaze remained on Draco. Gentle, calming, steady, familiar. It's coat was a russet red, clean, and comfortable-looking, the sort you'd want to run your fingers through- and Draco wanted to. The wolf's tail thumped once against the ground, keeping a wary eye on the wand in Draco's hand. The he lowered his head until Razor's paws were on the  
ground, and he gently unclenched his jaws. The smaller flopped to the ground, shook his coat so that it lay flat again, and trotted proudly back over to his master. The wolf let him go.

"Thanks," Draco said quietly.  
"Razor, come," he said in the same calm voice, and began to inch backward. After a few feet, he turned his back on the wolf and began to walk in earnest back the way they had come. That is, until he heard the snapping of frozen twigs behind him and he turned with a jolt. The wolf was still there, and a keening whine rose in it's throat.

That was when Draco noticed the red shorts caught on the animal's back left leg. No, not caught- tied.  
"Jacob?" he whispered. The wolf keened again, but this time came forward and touched it's wet muzzle to  
Draco's arm, which still wielded the wand.

"I- I can't talk to you, Jacob." Draco said softly. "Even less so when you're not even human."

The wolf stepped back. The reverse transformation was bizarre- layers of thick fur retreating backward, a spine straightening and shrinking, joints changing themselves around, until only Jacob Black remained. He staggered, naked, and leaned himself against a tree for balance. He disappeared behind the tree for a moment and when he returned, he was wearing those red shorts and he held a hand to his head.

"He-hey, Draco." he stammered.  
"Are you alright?" Draco asked cautiously.  
"Just give me a minute, okay? Don't, don't leave."  
Draco turned awkwardly away, looking at footprints in the snow.  
"I knew you had a problem with it." Jacob said accusingly.  
"With what?" Draco asked, still studying the ground.  
"You said you wouldn't talk to me, especially since I'm not human."  
"That's not what I said," Draco argued indignantly. "Dont you dare put words in my mouth, you fecking brute."  
"Why am I the enemy here?" Jacob shouted  
"You attacked Razor!"  
"We were playing! He's happy, look at him!"  
Sure enough, Razor was laying between the two of them, seemingly content.  
"You bit him!" Draco continued to argue.  
"He's not hurt. I just calmed him down. What about you?"  
"What about me?"  
"You were going to hit me!"  
"What?"  
"With that stick!"  
"Stick?"  
Draco glanced down, forgetting the wand in his grip. He tucked it up his sleeve.  
"That's not the most effective weapon in these woods," Jacob told him quietly.  
"You don't know what I'm capable of."  
"Why do you always say shit like that?"  
"Because it's true!" Draco told him with finality. "You don't know anything about me."  
"But I want to," Jake answered demandingly.

Draco looked up at him, meeting their eyes again. "Are you sure?"  
"Sam said that-"  
"No, Jake. I don't want to know what anyone else said. I want to know, if _you_ really want to know about me. About all the crap and insanity I come with."  
"Yes," Jacob told him emphatically. "I don't care! But if you can't handle the Quileute thing, then I don't know if it's worth it!"  
"Of course I can handle it! Of course it's worth it! I love you, you fucking idiot!" Draco stamped his foot petulantly.

"Then why did you do this to me?" Jacob asked quietly. "Why did you leave me? Why wouldn't you talk to me? Do you know what this has done to me?" he asked brokenly.

"I know, and I'm sorry." Draco told him. "I'm sorry." he repeated. He breathed deeply and stepped closer to the panting werewolf. He reached up, removing Jacob's hand from his aching forehead and held it in his own. "Jake," he began. "I need to tell you something really important."

Jacob nodded. "Will you tell me about your father?" he asked quietly. "Everything?"  
Draco bit his lip uncharacteristicly. "Yeah," he promised. "I'll tell you everything. But not tonight, okay?"  
Draco's muggle watch, a Christmas gift from Harry, beeped- signalling the New Year.

"I've got to go," he said. He dropped Jake's hand and turned away, clicking his tongue for Razor's attention.  
"Hey Draco?"  
He spun around again.

One of Jacob's large hands came up and caught in the hair at the back of Draco's neck, knocking his cap a bit to the side and gently tugging him close.  
And then he was kissing him again, short and sweet and promising so many more.  
Draco pulled back carefully; wanting more but knowing he couldnt. Not yet.  
"H-happy new year, Dray," Jacob said softly.  
"Happy New Year, Jake."

Draco returned to the backyard to find the guard, dizzy and drunk, talking loudly and shooting sparks at one another with their wands.  
"Oi, mates!" he called, gaining most of their attention.  
"Sobering and hangover daughts will be on your desks in the morning. No need to thank me." he swept past them amidst halfhearted thanks and grumbles about Malfoys and slid open the kitchen door.

"Merlin, Potter!" he cried, throwing up one hand to cover his eyes.  
"How many times must I remind you that we_ eat_ in here?"  
Harry, no longer pinned against the wall, gathered his shirt from the ground, his face blazing.  
"Sorry," he muttered, not sorry at all.  
Draco grinned at him.  
"What are you grinning at?" the gryffindor asked him suspiciously.  
"Nothing!" Draco denied.  
Harry turned Edward around so that the vampire was sitting on the counter and leaned back between his legs.  
"No, seriously. What's up?"  
"I'm, eh, brewing tonight. Hangover draughts, you know."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "The promise of a hot cauldron makes you not care about Edward and me snogging?" he asked in disbelief. "You were furious about the idea of it not a week ago.  
"Yeah, well."  
"Come on, Draco!"  
"Its nothing, Harry!" Draco told him emphatically. "Just... The New Year. Fresh start and all that rot."  
"I don't-"  
"Leave him alone, Harry." Edward admonished lightly. "There's no rule against being happy on New Year's."  
He eyed the pureblood with knowing eyes, and without Harry's knowledge swiped the side of his own nose with his index finger.  
Draco nodded at him. "Thank you," he said sincerely. "Now would the two of you mind finding another room? I intend to brew in here."  
"With pleasure!" Harry said happily, and he lead the way from the room.

"Thanks," Draco said again to Edward without looking at him. He reached for a cauldron from beneath one of the counters and set a fire beneath it with his wand.  
"Sure," Edward answered. "Good luck."

Now Draco looked over at him with a smirk.  
"I'd wish you the same but we both know you don't need it tonight."  
Edward shuffled his feet a bit and coughed a sort of half laugh.  
"Yeah. Goodnight, Draco."  
"Night!"

* * *

The youngest Malfoy told himself he wouldn't shuffle his feet or look at the ground. He swore to himself that he would remain civil and not appear a coward. He cut the engine to his bike and climbed off. Most of the snow had melted since New Year's. Two days of sun had left lawns damp but the roads were ice-free and the only snow that remained was  
that which clung to the corners of sidewalks and shaded trees. He rested his helmet on the motorcycle's seat and ran a hand through his hair to put it in order. Then he made his way up the front ramp and knocked smartly on the wooden door. He heard the approach of wheels from the inside and scolded his feet for shuffling as he waited.  
Finally, the door swung open and he looked down upon Billy Black.

"Draco," the elder greeted in a suprised tone.  
"Sir," Draco acknowledged. "Is Jacob in?"  
"He is." Billy said slowly.  
"May I speak with him?" the pureblood prompted.  
Billy hesitated.  
"Please, Sir." he begged quietly.  
"Come in."  
Draco stepped over the threshold but was only inches inside when the wheel of Billy's chair smartly blocked his path.  
"I don't know what you did to hurt my son," Billy whispered quietly so as to not alert said son. "But I don't want you in here if you're going to make things any worse."  
Draco heaved a sigh. "Look, Mr. Black. I messed up. I threw away the best thing that's happened to me _ever_ when I broke up with your son. I just want to talk to him."  
Billy eyed him. "Im warning you. I can get the entire pack on your ass so fast that-  
"I swear, sir."  
"Fine. He's asleep in his room."  
"He sleeps an awful lot."  
"It's been worse since you chucked him to the side."  
"Great." Draco breathed. "Thanks." and he walked the familiar path down the hall to Jacob's room.

He opened the door, using quite a bit of force to combat the accumulation of clothes and stuff behind it. Closing it quietly behind him, he looked around. The room was much the same as the last time he was there. He noticed that one of his jackets was folded impossibly neatly and sat in its own place on Jacob's desk. That spot was void of other clothing or trash, save for a small pile of splinters which sat in the corner.

"Hey Jacob," Draco called. "Wake up."  
Jake snuffled and rolled over, rubbing a hand across his face.  
"Draco!" he gasped. "What are you doing here?" The pureblood picked at his thumbnail awkwardly. "I said we had to talk, didn't we?"  
"Yeah, of course."  
"So can we? Talk, I mean?"  
Jake ran his hands over his face again. He picked a ragged looking shirt from the floor and tugged it over his head, sitting up properly on his bed.  
"Yes," he said. "Have a seat."

He brushed some stray debris from the swivel chair and gestured for Draco to sit.  
"Would you mind starting?" the werewolf asked half-sarcastically. "Only I don't actually know why we broke up, and I don't really have much to say."

"I know," Draco groaned, covering his eyes with one hand. "I know. God, Im sorry. Just- just bear with me, okay? I'll start from the beginning." he dropped his hand and breathed deeply.

"Remember Dobby?" he asked suddenly.  
Jacob eyed him suspiciously. "Yes," he answered slowly. "You talked about him that night. Your butler."  
Draco shook his head. "Dobby was no butler. He was a servant. A slave."  
Jake nodded his head slowly.  
"Dont interrupt me, alright?" Draco asked of him. "I've never told anyone my life's story before."  
Jake leaned back against the wall. An old poster crinkled beneath his  
shoulders. "Shoot," he said. "I'm all ears."

"When I was four," Draco began, "I set my father's wardrobe on fire. He was furious. I was terrified. All his clothes, some priceless family crap, all up in flames. I called for Dobby, hoping he would tell me what to do, or give me a hug, I don't know. He did one better and told my father that it was his fault." Draco gulped. "My father held Dobby's hands over the stove until his palms were as black as the ash of his favorite cloak. He gave him no meals for a week."

Draco wouldn't look at the werewolf. He kept his eyes on his hands in his lap, and picked at that thumbnail. "I was happy," he admitted. "Because it wasn't me. And because father was proud of me for having brought Dobby to him. When I was seven, my mother went to France for a week. She left me with father and told me to be a good boy. He spent the week with women and booze. One night Father's office smelled of smoke so I went to see what he was doing, but he didn't want me in there. When I knocked on the door he put out his cigar on my knuckles for being a nuisance. He smacked me when I cried. Then mother came home the next day. She asked why my face was bruised and father said  
I'd been in a fight at the park. She told him to punish me for disobeying her and misbehaving. That was the first time he really hurt me."

"But I thought he was the greatest thing, you know?" Draco continued. "I used to tell everyone; 'I'll tell my father,' and 'my father won't like that.' It was true though, my father didn't much like anything. He stopped hurting me when I went to school. By then I was old enough to be a proper heir and he didn't want me looking bruised or weak. But he  
always told me... He was always saying 'Draco, one day you will have the chance to serve our master. And one day you will make me proud.' That's all I wanted. He always said 'one day,' like he couldn't ever be proud of me just then. But I couldn't do anything right. I couldn't get top marks even when I went weeks without sleep for studying. I couldn't get past the first round of tryouts for sports- he bought my spot on the team. I couldn't even fight properly; Flat on  
my ass in front of the entire school and my teacher sent Father a letter to tell him all about it. Whenever I tried to do something that would make me come out on top, it reversed itself- and I was the one in detention or in the hospital. He hated it. I hated it. But then, when I was fourteen, _He_came back. And that was my chance to make my father proud."

"He? The master guy? Draco is your dad one of these freakishly religious cult people?"  
Draco shook his head. "No. He's one of those 'bow down to the mighty and destroy the weaker' sort of cult people. He followed a man who called himself Voldemort. And he terrified thousands."

Jacob gulped.  
"Jake, I have to tell you something."  
"You are telling me something. Quite a lot actually." the shapeshifter tried to laugh.  
"I'm not as normal as I pretend to be." Draco said cautiously. "I can... do things, that most people can't. Me and Harry, we're here because we wanted a break from all that."  
"Just tell me, Dragon."  
"I can do magic," Draco whispered. "And I'm not kidding."|

Jake raised his eyebrows. Draco slipped the wand from it's sleeve. "It's not just a stick," he said. "and it's a more dangerous weapon than anything else I could have in those woods. Especially in my hands."  
"Do something."  
"What?"  
"Do something magic," Jacob prompted, sounding slightly skeptical despite his best effort.  
Draco looked around the room for inspiration, then waved his wand lazily at the man in front of him. Jacob's ratted red shirt swapped itself for a form-fitting black T that hugged his muscled figure. Jake swallowed.  
"Please believe me."

Jake breathed heavily. "How can I not? If I'm a wolf and Cullen's a vampire then who's to say... Okay. _Magic._ Okay. Is that it?"  
"Hell no."  
"Tell me everything."

...

"So when we arrived here, my parents were in prison. But apparently Father has slipped out. He's... He's looking for me." Draco's thumb was now bleeding from the corner where he had peeled the nail too short. It burned and he sucked the blood that had gathered.

"Draco?"  
"Yeah?"  
"Could you please tell me what happened that night? I know your father was there."  
Draco's head shot up. "How do you know that?"  
"Something's wrong with my head. That's why I get headaches when I phase; the wolf sees what happened that night, but I forget it... What did you do to me?"  
"I didn't do it," Draco told him.  
"You didn't?"  
"I ordered it done." Draco admitted.  
"What happened to me?"  
"We went for a walk in the woods. We sat down at this bench and-  
"You ripped the heart out of my chest."  
"No!"  
"Yes you did! Don't tell me what I feel, Draco!"  
"Look, that's not what happened, so let me talk!"  
Jacob huffed.  
"We talked about peanut butter, and homeless people, and I said I wanted to be a wizard."  
"You _are_ a wizard," Jake reminded him.  
"Yes. But you didn't know. As a matter of fact, I wanted to tell you. I _began_ to tell you, when Cullen began screeching up a storm."  
"Peanut butter?"  
"I like peanut butter, Jacob. Please let me talk, this isn't easy."  
Draco said in a carefully steady tone.  
"Go ahead."  
"My father traced me to here. He used my possessions from the manor- sort of like the DNA we discuss in biology. But it's not exactly accurate. It's not like he could come down right on top of me. Once he was near enough he probably used my magic to track... See he's not really looking for _me._ I mean, he wants me too, but he's after Harry."  
"Harry?"  
"He wants him dead."  
"Why?"  
"Revenge. Harry killed voldemort."  
"_No_."  
"Yeah. That's why we're here. Like I said, to get away for awhile."  
Draco sighed again.  
"So anyway, my father was in the woods, and Cullen tried to get him because he killed one of our men, but he fought back and tortured Edward. That's when I showed up."  
"Where was I?"  
"I told you to wait."  
"And I listened?" Jacob sounded shocked.  
"No you dolt, you never listen."  
"That's why you love me." the statement was made in jest, and Jake's eyes quickly grew wide.  
"Yeah. I do." Draco affirmed.  
Jake gave him a half smile.

"You came crashing through the woods when I was dueling my father. You kind of went crazy."  
"Why?"  
"I'm not a good guy, Jake."  
"Yes you are. Don't say that."  
"No I'm not, Jacob!"  
"Then why did you fight the dark side? If you were the bad guy, you wouldn't have been a spy. Why are you _here_ if you're such a bad guy?"  
"If I'm such a good guy, then why do I want to kill my father? Why am I _disappointed_that I didn't manage it in the woods? Why did I do horrible things to innocent people for years before thinking it might be wrong?"

"Because he hurt you." Jacob reasoned quietly. "And because he was on the wrong side and didn't teach you any better."  
Draco buried his face in his hands.  
"Are you the one who made your father bleed that night?"  
"How do you know that?"  
"Sam thinks it was Cullen."  
"The vampires had nothing to do with anything. Edward was protecting Harry."  
"Okay."  
"Okay?" Draco looked up at him. "I just told you I ripped my father up and you say 'okay'?"  
"Yeah."  
"You're insane."

"Maybe. But I also make a lifestyle out of turning into a wolf and chasing vampires. If one of the Cullens or any other of their kind steps out of line, I'll be ripping someone up too... We're quite a pair."  
"Like Harry and Edward."  
"Now that's just nasty. Who'd want to sleep with a blood sucker? It's like keeping a tick in your pillow."  
Draco snorted. "What about you?"  
Jake rolled over on the bed. "Thats completely different. I am cuddly."  
"Are you really?" Draco asked with a smirk.  
"Of course. And warm too."  
"How warm?"  
"Warm enough."

Draco got up from the swivel chair and wiped his thoroughly chewed thumb on his pants. He put one knee on the bed, bouncing it a bit.  
"I'm so sorry," he said one more time.  
Jake looked up at him.  
"I know."  
Draco closed the rest of the distance between them, bracing himself above his boyfriend.  
"Mmm," Jake hummed quietly. "I missed you."  
The wizard smirked. "I know."

* * *

**Monday, January 21.**

"Dark!" Teddy chirped from his seat. He cuddled his stuffed wolf closer, burying his nose in it's back. Teddy's hair turned a deeper brown and sprang up in thicker tufts.  
"Dark Moony. Darkmoon _frry_." he continued to babble.  
"Did your godson just say 'dark moon fairy'?" Draco asked skeptically from across the table.  
" 'Furry,' actually." Harry corrected. "That's his new favorite."  
"Who taught him that?"  
"One of the guard is an animagus. They had a playdate yesterday."  
"You organize playdates with the guard now?"  
"I think Dedalus gets tired. Now that Teddy's motoring around on his own more, he needs to be watched constantly."  
"Makes sense."

The two were eating from a large stack of pancakes that Harry had made that morning. They had made the mistake of giving Teddy one with syrup. The boy was now impossible sticky and repeatedly blocked all attempts at cleaning charms.

"I didn't know we had an animagus." Draco commented.  
"He's not particularly useful."  
"What is he?"  
"A chinchilla."

Draco snorted into his orange juice. "Teddy's magic is really improving," he noted.

"Yeah, everything about him is improving. Speech, motor skills, his morphing too is more dramatic. I can't wait to show Molly."  
"Mrs. Weasley?"  
"Yeah. I feel like she didn't actually think I could raise Teddy. She offered to babysit so many times I think she planned on bringing him up herself and just letting me think I was. I had to start telling her she couldn't take him."  
"She knows you're responsible."  
"I know. But she doesn't think I understand families."  
"Why's that?"  
Harry sighed and took his empty plate to the sink.  
"I broke up with Ginny."

Draco nodded, drawing patterns in his syrup with a fork. "And this screams 'irresponsible' why?"  
"Well, breaking off a two year relationship isnt exactly the 'family-man' sort of thing to do. She thinks Im not taking it seriously. You know, growing up, having a life and a family."  
"But Ginny has nothing to do with that."  
"I know. But it's not like I could ask Ginny to prance home singing 'Guess what? Harry's gay so our relationship has ended.' No. She acted the part because I asked her to, and everyone was upset with me 'for breaking her heart' for a week or so until she made it clear that I wasn't the enemy."

"I still don't understand what this has to do with your raising Teddy."

"I don't know how, Draco!" Harry exclaimed loudly. "Every morning I wake up and hope that I'm doing this right. I'm asking Dedalus for help, and he hardly knows any better. The baby gets a cough and I wonder if I could have prevented it. His hiccups scare the crap out of me. D'you know how hard it was to stay up all night, when Teddy's screaming himself blue and his fever's running high while he cuts his first teeth? I cried too, Draco! I sobbed right along with him and rocked  
him and begged Remus and Tonks to tell me how to help their son! And I wanted _my_ mum, Draco. Because she should have been here to help me raise my first child. But here I am, trying my damned hardest and just hoping it's good enough, and he's not even mine!" Harry breathed heavily and stared hard out of the sliding glass door into the back  
woods.

"Harry, look. I'm no psychiatrist, but I can tell that's been bottled up in you for a while. It's good that you finally let it out. But look at him!" Draco got up, unbuckled Teddy from his highchair despite his stickiness and brought him over to the gryffindor. Teddy reached his arms out and stretched his fingers to be passed over. Harry obliged him with a choked sigh and held him close. Teddy put a syrupy hand on Harry's cheek and buried his face into his neck.

"He loves you, Harry. And he _is_yours. He's your godson. I know that his parents should be here raising him, but sometimes even real parents can't do right by their kids. Look at me. But you're doing everything right. If you wern't, I don't think you'd be worrying like you are." Draco patted his friend on his shoulder.

"Draco. How will I help him when his magic starts getting stronger? When my magic went out of control I got thrown in a closet. I don't have the first clue what to do. And what if he wants a girlfriend one day? I couldn't even date a girl without bollocksing it up. What am I supposed to say then? _'Try a bloke, Ted, worked for me!_' ?"

The pureblood laughed. "Now you're being ridiculous. For now you've got me and Dedalus, and the guard. I'm sure plenty of them have been around children- Merlin knows Weasley alone had a festival of infant siblings... And we're only here a few more months. After that you'll be back to your friends and Molly Weasley."

Harry breathed more steadily now. "You're right. I'm sorry Draco, it has been bothering me for a while."  
"Of course I'm right. Just never come to me for a sentimental breakdown ever again."  
"It's just past seven," he continued with a look at his watch. "You should go clean up and we'll get going."  
Harry nodded and was on his way from the kitchen when Draco called him back.  
"And Potter!"  
"Hm?"  
"Make sure you tell Mini-Moony that just because I'm with Jacob doesn't mean Uncle Draco can't be any help with the ladies." he winked and Harry groaned.  
"Thankyou, Draco."

The wizards parked their motorcycles in a shared space, tucked their helmets beneath their arms, and headed into the building. In first period English, they began a unit on a dreadfully boring novel that Harry was insulted to discover was written by an Englishman.

"Please read quietly, class," Mrs. Vicklind trilled from her desk. The students immediately took their cue to do anything but read quietly.

"Mate," Draco whispered. "Did you look at this?"  
"Yeah," Harry whispered back. "How are we supposed to read the book when the first page is that dry? It's like Umbridge's textbook."  
Draco made a face. "I was thinking Lockhart, actually."  
Harry laughed in agreement.  
"Harrison?"

Of course. When in a class entirely full of talking students, it was a known fact that one person in particular would be chosen as the culprit. It was horrible luck that today, Harry would be that culprit. The class became silent again and suddenly everyone appeared to be deeply enthralled with their horrid literature.  
"Yes ma'am?" he answered quietly.  
"Is there a reason you feel the need to disrupt the class' concentration?" she asked sweetly.  
"No ma'am."  
"Well, then please refrain from doing so, and return to your reading."  
He nodded, doing his best to look ashamed, and ducked his head to continue 'reading.'  
A moment later, Draco was nudging him in the back.  
"What?"  
"_Help!"_the pureblood mouthed. He nudged both his cellphone and a crumpled piece of paper into Harry's hand and quickly returned to his book. Harry sighed, annoyed.

He flipped open the phone and found it open to a thread of text messages. He didn't have to see the little box that said 'Jake' because it was obvious from the discussion that this was clearly who Draco had been conversing with. It was nauseating, really. He skimmed over some ridiculously sentimental trash that he logged away to tease the  
slytherin about some other time. Finally, he reached the most recent interactions.

**Draco:** Forks diner tomorrow, right?  
**Jake:** sorry, babe, birthday dinner with Billy tomorrow.  
**Draco:** Billy's birthday?  
**Jake:** nope, mine :P finally 18!  
**Draco:** Shit, I'm sorry Jacob, I didn't know.  
**Jake:** Dnt worry about it. Idt I ever mentioned it. when's ur birthday?  
**Draco:** April. What do you want for your gift? Anything, no limits.

At this point, there had been a rather long wait before Jacob's next answer:

**Jake:** Can I have something magic? Something from where you're from, I mean XP  
**Draco:** let me think of something, okay?  
**Jake:** Sure. Suprises are always nice. Hey you can come over for dinner with us tomorrow night.  
**Draco:** Your dad doesn't like me right now.  
**Jake:** He'll get over it. It's my birthday.  
**Draco:** I'll think about it and tell you later.

The messages stopped here, and Harry was very confused as to why he had to torture himself with reading this exchange. Then he remembered Draco's note still crumpled in his hand. He opened this and read it.  
_  
"What should I get him?"_ stared up at him in Draco's neat script.  
Harry furrowed his eyebrows.  
"How should I know?" he whispered quietly to his friend.  
"I don't know, but it's got to be something good. Shall I owl-order something?" Draco whispered back.  
"Get him a chew-toy," Harry told him angrily. "And leave me out of this. You're going to get me in-

"Harrison Potter I have had it up to _here_ with you today!" Mrs. Vicklind announced from her new position- right beside his desk.  
"You have proven yourself to be incapable of doing the mature thing in reading silently and now I find you with iPeds in my class!"

Alice from her place in the back of the class chirped, "Actually, Mrs. V, it's either an iPad or iPod. Theres no such thing as an iPed. But what Harry has is niether. That's just a regular cellphone."  
"Thank you, dear, but I don't care to know what it is. It is technology that does not belong in my classroom! I would like you to hand that over to me now, please, Harry." she added in a softer tone. "I am very disappointed in you."

Harry made sure to slide his finger subtly over the 'off' button, prompting the screen to go black before passing the phone into her waiting hand.  
"Thank you, Sweetheart, for your cooperation. You may collect your device from the principal after school today."  
"Yes ma'am," Harry murmered.  
"And let this be a lesson to you all!" the woman continued dramatically as she swept back to her desk.  
"You are all young-adults now. Where will you be when you need a career, and all you know is technology?" she scoffed at the word.  
_"My _son..." Harry tuned her out for the duration of her motherly rambling and waiting impatiently for the bell to ring. It finally sounded and he leapt from his seat to clear out of the room. Steps down the hall, Draco caught up to him and grabbed his arm.

"Let me have your mobile," he requested.  
"What? Why?"  
"Because you just lost me mine. I have to tell Jacob that it was confiscated."  
"Don't you think he'll figure it out when you don't answer?"  
"Harry!" Draco sounded affronted. "I can't _not_ talk to him without telling him _why_."  
Harry sighed and fished his own phone from his pocket. "Make it quick. How do you always make me out to be the enemy?"  
"Because you were the one too stupid to cast charms around your desk," Draco answered factually, thumbs already flitting away in a text message.  
"I wasn't the only one talking."  
"Subtlety was never a Potter forte." Draco said, as though that explained everything.

The phone snapped shut and was slipped back into Harry's hands. Draco took off down the hall. "Ta, Potter."  
Harry stared after him. "How does he claim to be straight?" he murmured to himself.

"Hey Harry!" The gryffindor halted outside of the lunchroom.  
"What, Mike?"  
"How was your vacation?"  
Harry stared at him, dumbfounded. "What?"  
"Your Christmas and New Years. Jeez, didn't know there was a language barrier here." Mike joked.  
"No. Why are you talking to me?"  
"Arn't we friends?" the teenager asked, perplexed and entirely serious.  
"No."  
"But Angela thinks that you-  
"Look, I don't want to be friends with you, and you don't even want to be near me. Don't try to get in my good books to make yourself look good for Angela. You don't deserve her."

This seemed to be a blow to Mike's pride. "Yeah, you know what, Harry? You're right. I _don't_ want to be near you. You're freaking sick, parading around with Cullen and letting him _touch_you. You seem like a nice guy, but every time we talk you bring up this homo issue of yours. You've got a _hickey _on your neck and _everyone _knows who gave it to you. I don't know why I bother trying to get along with a faggot like you."

The wizard squared his jaw, brushed past him and entered the cafeteria. He sat down at his usual table with Draco and pulled his lunch out of his bag. "What did Kreacher pack us today?" he asked the pureblood who was already chowing down.  
"Assorted lunchmeats on white with provelone. There's tomato on yours I bet."  
"I love tomato." Harry checked his sandwhich and sure enough, there it was, stacked beneath the ham and turkey.  
He took a bite with gusto. "Anything else?"  
Draco, who was already half done with his sandwhich, opened his brown bag and reached inside. "Some of those peanut butter crackers from the grocery." he said, tossing a pack onto the table. "We'll have to ask Diggle to floo home for some good snacks."  
"mhm."

Suddenly, something warm and wet smacked Harry in the back of the head. He turned abruptly, staring across a table until he met Eric's impossibly wide eyes. Mike Newton was peaking from beneath the table, still in a crouched position; clearly Eric's intended target. Harry swiped at the back of his hair and came away with a handful of mashed  
potato and gravy. With a grimace, Draco handed him a napkin which was hastily put to good use. Once mostly clean, Harry stood swiftly, crossed the few feet to the next table, and sat down amicably.

"Hey," he greeted. These were the first people who had talked to him here. He didn't really have anything against most of them. (He didn't meet the eyes of Mike or Jessica.) Some of them answered, others were suddenly very interested in their lunch.

"I am so sorry, Harry. I was aiming for that idiot," Eric gestured at Mike, "for bothering you again."  
"No worries." the wizard said smoothly. "I just wanted to inform Mike here, that if he's ever willing, I'd be more than happy to settle this stupidity once and for all."

Mike sat himself back on his bench.  
"Are you calling me out for a fight?" he asked increduously.  
Harry smiled falsely. "Well you've already called me so many things, I figure it's time I return the favor." he said smoothly.  
Suddenly, Edward was behind him with one hand on his shoulder. He bent down and whispered into Harry's ear.  
"What are you doing?"  
Harry shivered. He stood up again from the table and laced his fingers with Edward's.  
"Whenever you wish, Mike." he told him, and pulled his boyfriend back to his table with Draco.

"Why would you threaten Mike?" Edward asked him.  
"Why shouldn't I? I'm sick of his annoying face."  
Harry continued to eat his sandwhich. It didn't taste as good anymore.  
"You can get in a lot of trouble, Harrison."  
"I don't care."  
"Come on, you could kill him."  
"I'm not going to duel him, Edward! Just hit him."  
"He can't take a hit."  
"Good." he finished his sandwhich and ripped open his pack of peanut butter crackers. Draco tactfully ignored their discussion.  
"Fine. Do whatever you wish. I cant stop you. But you deal with the consequences."  
"You're not my parent! You're my boyfriend! Don't lecture me about consequences." Harry sounded insulted.  
Edward sighed. "I know. I'm sorry." he grabbed Harry's fingers again and played with them. "Just make sure you don't leave him bleeding. Jasper doesn't need that at school."  
Harry smiled a bit. "If it's bad, I'll get him to the nurse. Don't worry about it though. He might not even take me up."

At the end of the school day, Harry sat on his bike next to the sidewalk in front of the school. The motor grumbled between his legs as he tugged on his gloves and pulled the zip on his jacket. Edward was leaning over his handlebars from the front as they discussed their plans for the day.

"I'm not saying you can't come over, I'm just saying that I and the guard have a meeting with Kingsley. You can still be there, but I don't know when I'll be done."  
"Is that what's been bothering you all day?"  
"Somethings been bothering me?" Harry asked sardonically.  
"Clearly," Edward muttered. "Youve been stalking around all day with the world's most tragic 'everything sucks' face on. You challenged Mike Newton to a fistfight _and_I heard you have a detention this Friday. Not to mention the fact that you haven't once talked to me today without this snappy tone in your voice," Edward added.

Harry bit his lip apologetically. "Wait, I have detention on Friday?"  
"You'll get your slip tomorrow morning. Something about 'maltreatment of school property' and 'mishandling expensive technology."  
Harry sputtered. "That's ridiculous." he reached for his helmet but Edward moved it beyond his reach. "What happened?" he asked curiously.  
"Nothing. It's that stupid computer course. The thing froze, I got angry and banged the keyboard with my hand a bit. The number keys got jammed."

Edward sighed and gave him the helmet. "I have an idea," he said as Harry pulled it over his shaggy black hair. He lowered his voice.  
"Get home safe, and then duel with Draco until your meeting. No offense, but if I were the guard or Kingsley I would not want to sit in a meeting with you right now. Just cool off, okay?"  
Harry nodded. "I'm sorry."  
"No problem." Edward leaned forward and gave him a quick kiss. "Safe home."  
"Thanks."  
Harry flipped down his face shield and turned the handles a bit, making Edward chuckle and step away.  
"See you later," the vampire called after him as he manouvered his way out of the parking lot.

Harry slapped the remote that would close the garage door and sighed as he pulled his helmet over his head. Draco's bike had already been parked inside when Harry got there, so he knew the pureblood had beaten him home. He tossed his  
helmet with half a heart onto a chair and headed upstairs, taking the steps two at a time. When he reached Draco's door, he knocked twice and opened it, unsuprisingly finding his friend on the retrieved phone, Razor asleep in his lap.  
"Hey, can we go duel for a bit?" he asked desperately, ignoring the phonecall.  
Draco raised an eyebrow delicately at him in an 'are you kidding me?' gesture. Harry ignored it and leaned on the doorframe. Finally,  
"Jake I've got to go. Harry needs my help."

"Thanks," Harry told him gratefully when the blonde hung up.  
"Don't mention it. Let's go to the basement."

At six twenty two, Harry laid out the last tray in a long buffet line of scrumptions looking foods. He wiped his hands on the small towel slung over his shoulder and then tossed it into the sink. He had prepared porkchops, hot sausages, beef on wheck, and beer-battered flounder. There were steamed vegetables, white rice, and some small buttered noodles as well as a blackbean salad and a tray of tomato, cheeses, olives, and grapeleaves.

"Alright, you lot," he announced at large. "Dig in, and you better be grateful."

Since moving into the safehouse, the guard more often than not fended for themselves when it came to meals; simple fry-ups or ordering from Kreacher. On larger occasions, however, and whenever the urge tickled him, Harry cooked for them. Tonight, the minister had arrived at quarter-past six to an array of mouth watering scents; streamed,  
fried, baked, sauteed... The gryffindor had outdone himself. The table was cleared but for a stack of plates and cutlery in one corner. As the men filled their plates, they sat about the room. Some placed themselves at the counter, standing or leaning. Others brought their meal to the livingroom, conjuring tables and chairs to squeeze into the cramped space. Harry, Draco, Dedalus, Bill, and a few elite members sat at the table with Kingsley, who had a stack of parchment  
and several quills in front of him. Once everyone was settled and quietly eating, Kingsley began his spiel.

"Alright," he said. "Amos' death and funeral has finally hit the papers." He threw a copy down on the table where a haunting picture taken from the triwizard cup featured Amos and Cedric grinning broadly at the camera. Cedric had been dead hours later. "**Tragedy in the Department of Mysteries**" blared across as the headline.

"Whats the printed story?" Harry asked grimly.  
Shaklebolt grunted. "Aurors on a classified mission, a horrible accident involving experimental procedures from the D.o.M."  
"Does his wife know what really happened?"  
"That he was killed in the line of duty, as a Ministry-Ordered security detail."  
"I should go see her," Harry said quietly.  
"She's with family, Potter." Kingsley told him. "There will be plenty of time for condolences when you're back home and Lucius is dead."  
Draco, mid-chew, flinched.

"My apologies, Mr. Malfoy," Shacklebolt said with a nod of his head. "I didn't intend to be insensitive."  
"No, it's fine sir. I want the bastard taken out too."  
"Very well then. What do we know?"

One of the elite aurors held up a finger, indicating that he intended to speak. He swallowed.  
"This is absolutely delicious, by the way, Potter." he began offhandedly. Harry blushed and ducked his head.  
"Hear hear," agreed Kinglsey. "You should pair up with Molly, Harry. Make a damned good resturaunt."

The auror swiped at his mouth with a napkin. "When Lucius showed up just before Christmas, he left a short appiration trail before disappearing completely. We have no evidence of where he was before the woods, but we know that his first  
destination after the attack took him north, to some dead-end French village in Canada."  
"What's in Canada?" Dedalus asked increduously.  
"Nothing," Draco supplied. "I mean, Father speaks French, so he could if he wanted to, but he wouldn't waste time making small talk with locals. That's beneath him."

"Well Lucius was injured when he apparated, and there was some old codger living there who claimed he was a 'healer' but he didn't know blood from brandy so we doubt Malfoy would have sought him out."  
"Father wouldn't go to anyone to heal him. He'd do it himself."  
"What if he was too weak?" the auror shot back at him.  
"He'd heal himself!" Draco said sternly, tightening his fist around his fork and slamming it to the table. "He wouldn't trust anyone else. He never did and still doesn't. You're barking up the wrong tree looking for healers and medics."

The auror scowled at him. "Fine then. Anyway, his trace brought him East until it disappeared completely- most likely he left the country at that point."  
Kingsley chewed slowly. "The country or the continent?" he asked.  
The auror exchanged a glance with some of his fellows. "We don't know, Sir. We're just speculating at this point."  
Kingsley grumbled low in his throat. "So you're saying," he rumbled, "That this wizard could be in either Canada or the United States, or could be back in the UK by now?"  
The aurors shifted, and a new one spoke up.  
"Well, yes, sir. Though he's probably not in Canada any more. Like Draco said, there's nothing for him up there. Here or even Mexico is not out of the question, but we were wondering if it's possible he snuck back to the manor in Wiltshire. It's how all this started, after all."

Draco grasped at the chain around his neck. "He hasn't done that, either," he announced. Shacklebolt finally turned on him.  
"Mr. Malfoy are you leading this investigation? Have I assigned these gentlemen before you for decoration?"  
"With all due respect, Minister, no one knows my father better than I do. If I say he hasn't been somewhere, then he hasn't been there." He moved to stand but Harry caught him by his sleeve and coerced him back into his seat.  
"Draco would know if there was anyone in the manor, Kingsley." he explained.

"If 'e can do that, then why didn't the little rat pipe up when 'is da was there in the firs' place?" one of the guard questioned accusingly. "'e's the reason Lucius found 'is way 'ere last month. Maybe 'e lead 'im 'ere on purpose!"  
Harry rounded on him. "You shut your mouth. Draco would never do that. The only reason he didn't say anything was because I kept the situation from him. He didn't even know about the break-out. He thought it was just another ministry raid on his house when Lucius was in there."

Draco was now sitting stock-still, his gaze on a blank wall off to the side, his plate stil half-full and untouched.  
"Apologize to him!" Harry demanded.  
The man snorted. "I'm not apologizing to a nancy swot like 'im."  
Harry narrowed his eyes. "I don't like you," he said simply.

Finally Shaklebolt spoke up again. "Gentlemen! I'll have no more of this arguing amongst ourselves. When we have finished our dinner, Dedalus, Harry, Bill, and myself will take a walk about the property, testing and improving the wards here and in the immediate surrounding area. At that time I would like those assigned to tracking to have a discussion with Mr. Malfoy here. You are to compile a list of likely hideouts and unlikely positions_ together_. I want no more accusations. If anymore difficulties are brought to my attention, the one causing them will be heading home tonight." he finished this statement with a steady look at the insulting man, who appeared to shrink down several inches in his seat. There was a murmuring of "yessirs"

"Well then," Kingsley continued in a much lighter tone, "I'll let you know what we've got on our end." he shuffled his papers.  
"Right, the glitch in the wards-"  
Harry groaned.  
"-was not the fault of the wards themselves."  
The gryffindor raised his head in confusion. "It seems Lucius was smuggled a wand from the outside. The man  
responsible, Mr... ah, here. Mr. Bedivere Thimple was taken into ministry custody last week. He was-

"Our gardener!" Draco gasped suddenly.  
Kingsley glanced at him.  
"Yes. The Malfoy's groundskeeper. He was the last and only visitor to cell block 67, where Mrs. Malfoy is housed. He has confessed everything from bringing the contraband to the transaction with Narcissa. She delivered the wand to her husband during one of their bi-weekly visits."  
Draco's face became more pale with the knowledge that his mother had aided in this escape. The table was silent for a moment in which all extraneous members of the guard cleared out seemingly as one.

"Minister," Draco began quietly. "What will happen to my mother?"

Kingsley wetted his lips and breathed a deep sigh before answering. "Mrs. Malfoy was originally set to be released in July, after you vouched for her character and role in the war, Harry." Shaklebolt said.

"Kingsley!" Draco interrupted, more loudly. "What will they do to her?" his voice wavered in an attempt to remain steady.  
"She aided in a serious breach of security, Draco." Kinglsey reasoned softly. "The public needs to see the ministry take action."  
"Screw the public!" Draco exclaimed. "She loves him, that's all! She can't stop loving the murdering sonofabitch! So you'll have her kissed for it?"  
"I'm sorry, Draco."  
"No you're not."  
"That's right." Kingsley said firmly. "I'm _not _sorry that I take whatever action necessary to ensure the safety and continued existance of the wizarding world. It is my job and duty to do so. But I _am _sorry that, in carrying out these actions, I must take your family from you."

Draco was standing stock-still. His chair had clattered to the floor but no one moved to lift it. He opened his mouth, then closed it.  
Finally, "When?" he asked. Brokenly, quietly.  
"Saturday next."  
There was no change in expression shown on Draco's face. After a beat, he snatched a sheet of parchment and a quill from in front of the  
minister. He quickly jotted a few brief notes, his flawless script upset by the minute shaking of his right hand.

"Here's where he could be."

He scratched a line across the parchment in a break and continued to scrawl beneath it.

"Here's where he's not."

He shoved his hand forward and the parchment lifted from the table, curling slightly before floating gently downward again like a leaf from a tree.  
Draco left the room. The sound of keys being pulled from his pocket littered the silence of the house. Then the garage being opened and a motorcycle flaring to life, then the dying zip of the bike out of the driveway and down the street.

Those remaining at the table exchanged glances with one another. "I know someone has to follow him," Harry said. "But whoever does it, give him space, alright? Don't invade his privacy, he doesn't need that."

The guard who had first shared the news about Canada stood with a groan. "I'll go," he announced. "Poor kid," he added in a mutter as he disapperated with a snap.

"D'you have anything else, Kingsley?" Harry asked. He pushed away the last of his dinner, no longer hungry.

"Malfoy didn't make contact with anyone when he was in prison- at least not directly. If he orchestrated this it was done through his wife. She had regular visits from this Thimple fellow. It's not clear if she had to convince him or not... Mind you, it wouldn't be very difficult to coerce him. He seems very, well, _simple_and mightily devoted to Narcissa. He doesn't seem like a bad sort." Kingsley explained.

"And will _he_ be given the kiss as well?" Dedalus asked.  
"It is to be determined," Kingsley admitted. Harry sighed but allowed the subject to drop.  
"So Lucius just magicked himself out of Azkaban?" Harry wanted to know. "Once he got his wand- he was just able to pop out?"

"No, the wards were tampered with until he created a break."  
"I see."  
"So it isn't your fault, Harry."  
The gryffindor breathed a sigh of little relief. "Yeah, I know."

An hour later Harry opened the door to his bedroom, wondering what could have Ana in such an excitable mood. He could hear her talking from the hallway. He was suprised with what he found. Edward stood over the large terranium, holding the heavy top open with one hand, while in the other he cradled a small rabbit.

It was brown, with stubby front legs and comically long ears, and it was _alive_. Harry watched it struggle faintly within Edward's expert grasp.  
"What are you doing?" he asked quietly, though it was quite obvious what he was watching.

"I'm making peace with your pet. I'm sick of her spitting at me whenever I come through the window."  
Harry crossed his arms and leaned against the doorjam. "She still does that? I told her to leave you alone."  
"Only when you're not here."  
"Oh. So you found her a rabbit?"  
"It's a runt."  
"Hm."  
"I don't think she gets that I'm trying to be nice yet." Edward said under his breath. "Can't she tell I brought food?"  
"She's bloody thrilled, actually." Harry translated. "But you're teasing."  
Edward nodded. Quick as a flash, he then stuck his arm into the tank and released his fingers, revealing the small rabbit, now twitching and snuffling madly into the woodchips.

Harry grimaced. "I'm going to take a shower," he said, crossing the room to grab a towel. Edward grinned at him over his shoulder. "I'll join you in a minute."  
Harry added a cheeky sway to his hips. "I'll hold you to that."

Edward gently pressed Harry up against the tiled wall of the shower. Hot water sprayed down over them, plastering their hair to their foreheads and creating a delicious slipping sensation. Edward laved open-mouthed kisses to Harry's strong jaw and down his tanned neck, across his shoulder and upper chest as Harry gasped and reached for something to hold onto. Finally his hands found purchase on Edward's upper arms, then slid down to rest on his bold hips, which ground and gyrated impossibly slowly against his own.

"I like you better this way than when you're picking fights," Edward told him quietly.  
Harry half-laughed. "I like you better this way than when you are delivering innocent rabbits to my pet."  
"Hm. Funny." he nipped at the skin under Harry's chin, elicting a gasp followed by a soft whine for more.  
"Are you having a better day now?"  
He threaded his fingers into the wizard's wet hair and pulled his head to the side, leaving his other shoulder and a new patch of tempting skin open to him.

"The day sucked," Harry said breathlessly. "This is the only part that's been- been... uhng- don't stop."  
Harry's fingers scrabbled against the wet tile and he tilted his head backward too quickly, causing a dull thunk and a hiss of pain quickly soothed.  
Edward chuckled, a rumble deep in his throat.  
"I won't," he promised.

* * *

Note: Wow! So much going on in this chapter! Please note that Teddy's new sentence "dark moony furry" is a kudos to my 1000th reviewer, Darkmoonfairy94. Everyone seems to love Teddy, so I thought this 'honor' might be appreciated.  
I threw a lot of stuff into this one chapter that made it super long, but I hope you enjoyed! To be sure, Jacob now knows everything about Draco's past. He knows that he was a bad guy turned good. He doesn't have a very clear view of the war or the wizarding world quite yet, but knows that Lucius is very dangerous and that magic can kill. He's tentatively okay with it though, and Jake and Draco are back together ;)  
I hope everyone enjoyed this rapid (and very long) update! Please continue to review!

Happy thoughts and Chocolates,  
-darkestAngel13


	32. Chapter 32

Author's Note: Hey everyone! I hope you enjoy this chapter. Definitely shorter than the last, but I thought everyone deserved some insight into the whole Draco/Jacob relationship now that they are together once more. I don't own anything! Please read and review!

* * *

Draco waited impatiently by the window of his bedroom. He had put the entire room back in order after telling Jacob about his past. He was thrilled to have his own effects back where they belonged; his nimbus on the wall, his books and gadgets within plain sight. The occupants of his quidditch poster moved around animatedly, flying and swooping in and out of sight and very pleased to be on display once more. Draco tapped his wand irritatedly on the window sill and squinted into the  
cloudy sky. He was dressed nicely, he thought, in black slacks with a grey button up and a black sport coat. His hair was gelled lightly and swept out of his eyes to hang in disarray across his forehead. All that he needed was...  
An owl screeched and startled him out of his reverie as it landed beside him.  
"Yes! Thank you! It's about time, you ruddy thing." he directed the tired owl to a perch that stood waiting with treats and fresh water. The bird gave him an insulted look.  
"I'm offering hospitality, aren't I?" Draco told it as he untied the small package from it's foot. "The least you could do is be on time."  
The owl hooted in annoyance.  
"Yeah yeah. Off with you." Draco freed the parcel and quickly spelled it open. With another flick of his wand its contents were re-wrapped in bright silver paper and he tucked the gift into the inside of his jacket. He checked his pocketwatch and swore. Razor perked up from his nap on the bed.  
"You coming with me, RaeRae?" the wizard asked.  
The cat stretched, yawned, then leapt daintily from the bed and retrieved his harness from the floor by the door.  
"That's a yes then," Draco interpreted. He fastened the harness and headed out the door. "We're late, Jake's probably waiting."

Sure enough, when he opened the front door Jacob's Rabbit was waiting at the curb. He leaned across the passenger seat to open the door for Draco.  
"Hey there,"  
"Happy Birthday."  
"Thanks."  
They shared a short kiss before Jake broke away and set the car into drive. "We're late," he said by way of explaination.  
"I'm sorry. Your present was late."  
Jake wiggled his eyebrows. "Whadja get me?" he asked.  
"I've been told that patience is a virtue."  
The werewolf pouted. "Fine." With one hand he gently pushed away Razor, who was attempting to climb into his lap. Draco pulled him back and held the panther more firmly.  
"You look very nice, by the way," Jacob commented.  
"Thank you. You do too."  
Jacob rarely wore complete outfits, preferring instead to wear shorts and go barechested or simply tug on a tshirt and generally torn or ill-fitting jeans. Not that it bothered Draco in the least to see his boyfriend so revealed, but it was certainly a treat to see the werewolf's more formal side. He was wearing a pair of very dark denims which squeezed his upper thighs and left his quad muscles quite prominant. He was wearing a black tshirt that seemed to be a thin, silky sort of material. Draco could see a silver design scrawled over the right shoulder and knew that it must continue down the back. Jacob's upper arms were encased in the liquid fabric but his forearms were bare and firm. His hair was slightly shorter than it had been when they first met, but still long enough to be tucked back and secured with a strap of leather.  
"Did you know you're like, really gorgeous?" Draco asked him.  
Jacob tried to hide a smile. "Thanks?"  
"It's true. I can't wait to show you off when I get home." Draco leaned back in his seat.  
Jacob was very quiet.  
"Jake?"  
He didn't answer.  
"What did I say?"  
"Dragon, I don't know if I could go home with you," the Quileute said hesitantly.  
Draco's fingers tightened in Razor's fur. "What, why?"  
Jacob grimaced. "I just never thought about it before," he said. "But I'm eighteen today. Technically the pack is mine now. I mean Sam's been in charge because he's older obviously, but it's always been my pack. And Billy can't get around on his own."  
"But what about you wanting to meet my family?" Draco argued. "You asked me months ago about it."  
"I meant more like a _visit_, Dray. Not like, _forever_...and when you said I could never see your family, I sort of put it out of my mind."  
He looked over at his boyfriend, who now looked incredibly moody and was glaring out the window with a stormy expression. "Can we talk about this later?" Jacob asked desperately. "When it's not my birthday and you're not looking so damn sexy?" he added with an undertone.  
Draco sighed. "That's impossible," he said. "I always look sexy."  
Jake smiled.

When they arrived in front of the house Draco clipped a lead onto Razor and exited the car. "It _is_ just your father, right?" he asked Jake.  
"Just Billy," Jacob assured him. "You've got cat hair down your front," the werewolf informed him as they approached the front door.  
"Oh for the love of Merlin," Draco complained at his familiar. "Give me a second," he told his boyfriend. He reached up his sleeve and retrieved his wand.  
"Evanesco," he said, running the wand down the length of his torso.  
"I love that," Jacob grinned.  
"It's got it's perks," Draco drawled. He let go of the wand, knowing it would relocate back to the holster mid-drop and tugged on the lapel of his coat. "Let's go then."

***

Dinner with Billy was quiet. They discussed mundane topics such as schoolwork and the latest engine Jacob was trying to construct. Somewhere between his second and sixth slice of cake Jacob dropped his fork.  
"Hey dad?"  
"Yeah son."  
"What would you say if I went back to England with Draco?"  
The wizard glared violently at his boyfriend, thinking this was niether the time nor proper manner in which to have this discussion.  
Billy stopped drinking his coffee. "I'd say I wasn't suprised," he began.  
"Would you let me go?"  
"Well I can't really stop you, Jacob. You're eighteen."  
Jake nodded.  
"I'd warn you against it," Billy continued, "and say that you should spent some more time together before moving in with him in another country. But if you get set on something, well, my hands are tied."

Draco felt entirely uncomfortable; like he was enfringing on a private discussion.

"Further," Billy said with a sigh. "I knew this discussion would come around eventually and I've been doing some research."  
"Regarding?"  
"Gay marriage is not legal in the United Kingdom yet and..."  
"Billy!" Jake exclaimed.  
"It's a serious discussion, Jacob!" Billy argued, "One that needs to be had. The mainstream public won't excuse your relationship because you're a wolf that's imprinted! You need to consider these things if you want a life and a future, be it here or in England!"  
Jacob lowered his head and drew his fork through the frosting on his plate.  
"Billy?" Draco began.  
The elder took a long pull from his coffee and met Draco's eyes over the rim of his cup to indicate that he was listening.  
"Same-sex marriage is not yet legal, but civil partnerships are protected by law now, if what they've said on the news is true. And besides, in the community where I'm from, well, being in a homosexual relationship isn't really a source of ridicule."  
"And outside that community?" Billy asked.  
"Does it really matter? I love Jacob and he loves me so why should we care if whoever whereever has something to say?"  
He felt Jake's hand, which held his under the table, squeeze gently.  
"Then why move to England?" Billy asked calmly.  
"What?" Draco and Jacob asked at the same time.  
"If this relationship is so solid and unaffected by the opinion of others, then why should it be taken back to England?"  
"Because that's where Draco belongs, Billy. He has... a lifestyle there." Jacob explained.

Billy stacked his cup and saucer onto a tray across his lap and wheeled himself away from the table. "And you don't have a lifestyle here, Jacob? You don't _belong here_? You have a responsibilty to your pack and to this family."  
"I don't have a lifestyle here, dad. Not yet, at least. My sisters up and moved out when they got married and you didn't tell them they had a _lifestyle_ here. And as for a responsibility to the pack, I don't. I mean, not a chosen responsibilty. It's a birthright, and frankly it's one that I can decline."

Billy didn't answer for a while. On his way out of the kitchen, he had one more thing to say. "To me, this sounds like a spoiled brat too selfish to think of you instead of himself, son. And I don't think I have to remind you that this is the second time now."  
"Gee, thanks Billy! I'm glad you trust my judgement!" Jacob said loudly, sarcastically. "Don't talk about what you don't know, and _don't_ talk about Draco like he's not here! He is the least selfish person I know, but you wouldn't understand that!" he continued to fume at his father's back as the man rolled down the hall and out of sight.  
When he turned back to the table, he found Draco with his head in his hands. "I'm sorry," the Quileute said quietly.  
"Why did you do that? I _told_ you that he already wasn't happy with me and you bring up moving across the ocean? Jesus, Jacob you told me flat out that you wouldn't an hour ago!"  
"I'm sorry," Jake repeated. "It got stuck in my head, and I didn't think he'd react like that."

Draco sighed, composing himself. "I'm sorry too. This is ruining your birthday. Fancy a walk?"  
"I'd prefer if you gave me my present, actually," Jake told him eagerly.  
Draco smiled. "I hope you haven't got your hopes up too high. There's only so many things available through the owl-order and hardly any of them are actually of any significant value."  
Jacob picked up his and Draco's plates and brought them over to the sink, where he left them amongst the dishes from dinner and a few other previous meals and snacks.  
"My room?" he asked.  
"Sure."

Draco's sport coat had been draped over the back of his chair. He now picked it up and folded over his left arm and they went to the werewolf's bedroom. The room was the same as it had been during their talk about Draco and the wizarding world, only significantly cleaner. The night before, following the news of his mother's impending punishment, Draco had arrived here in a furious fit of expletives, almost-tears, and silence. While Jacob sat, unable to help or even begin to ask what was wrong, Draco had cleaned the room from top to bottom while he simmered quietly. Now the tan colored carpet was visible in the center of the room and no extra effort was required to open or close the door. The two sat side by side on the matress, leaning their backs against the wall and crinkling that old poster even further.  
"So what did you get me?"  
"Merlin, Jacob, you are so annoying."  
The werewolf laughed. "You know you're really different lately," he said.  
Draco frowned. "In what way?"  
"I dunno. I mean, you're more relaxed, but still sort of on edge. But I don't feel like you're constantly keeping stuff from me anymore."  
"Well I'm not."  
"You say weird stuff, you know."  
"Like what?" Draco smiled, having a feeling he knew. He hadn't been so careful to monitor his speech since telling Jake he was a wizard.  
"You say 'Merlin,' a lot."  
"I know. It's a bad habit. You say 'dunno' and 'gunna' and 'stuff' a lot."  
"That's different."  
"I'm just saying."  
"Draco, are you scared? About your dad and stuff?"  
"Not really. I just want it all behind me, you know? When I go back home I want to stop being 'the Malfoy boy' and just live my own life."  
"hm."  
Their fingers were entwined and Jacob found a small, round scar the size of a nickel on the back of Draco's knuckles, marring his otherwise flawless skin. He rubbed the spot. "I'll be there too."  
"Jake, I-"  
"Look, we'll talk about it later. Now I _really_ want my present."  
Draco sighed. "Fine." He reached into the pocket of his coat and retrieved a small box. With a word it grew steadily in his grasp until it was the size of a baseball. "It's not much, but you wanted something magic. These were really popular when I was a kid."  
Jacob tore into the box with gusto and pulled out a small glass ball. Light grey smoke swirled within it in nonspecific patterns, contrasting against the dark tone of the werewolf's palm.  
"Cool," he said simply. "What is it?"  
"It's called a rememberall. It's kind of a child's toy but it is handy. When the smoke turns red, it means you've forgotten something."  
Jacob looked impressed. "How does it know?"  
"What?"  
"How does it know something that I don't know?"  
"I don't know, Jacob." Draco said exhasperatedly. "It's just magic."  
"That's so cool."  
"I want to do something else for you, but you'd have to come back to the house with me."  
Jake raised his eyebrows and smirked a bit.  
"Not _that_, Jacob."  
Jake pouted.  
"Oh come on. Just not yet, okay? We still play around."  
Jacob acquiesced. "So what is it then?"  
"I'm going to get your memory fixed. Someone from the department of mysteries will be at the house around 9."  
"The department of mysteries? What does that do?"  
"Uhm, no one really knows. Loads of things, I expect. Harry knows better than I do. He's been inside there."  
"But they can fix my memory?" Jake asked nervously.  
"They obliviated you to begin with. It _should _be a simple reversal, but I don't know enough about memory charms and spells to do it myself. If my Godfather were here..."  
"You have a godfather?" Jacob interrupted.  
"Had. He's dead."  
"I'm sorry."  
"Me too."  
Jacob placed a large hand on Draco's thigh and rubbed soothingly. "Do you think I'll ever know everything you've been through?" he asked.  
Draco smiled. "It would take a really long time," he speculated. "But I plan on keeping you around. I believe that eventually, you will have a good idea of what the wizarding world is and was. Especially if you get to England."  
"_When_ I get to England."  
"Jacob-"  
"I know. Talk about it another time." he squeezed Draco's thigh and ran his thumb upward along the inside seem of his slacks. "There's other things we could be doing anyway. It is my birthday after all."  
Draco smirked and twisted slightly to catch his boyfriend up in a hot kiss.  
"Definitely," he agreed when he pulled back for a breath. "Much more fun than conversation."  
They tumbled playfully on the bed for a while until Jacob finally pinned Draco beneath him. The pureblood was flushed, his blond hair in a rare mess splayed out against Jacob's pillows. His mouth was red with the rush of kissing and his pupils were dilated significantly. He laughed softly when Jacob dove down to push his face into the space between the wizard's neck and shoulder.  
"God, I love you," the werewolf breathed into the heat of his neck, and he bit down gently before tonguing the spot thoroughly. Draco made a sound in the back of his throat and shifted his thighs so that Jake's hips came to settle between them. Feeling the contact he stretched his back and _arched_, increasing the friction deliciously and causing Jacob to pant a bit before continuing with his ministrations at Draco's neck and mouth. The Quileute ran a hand up Draco's torso from under his buttoned shirt, finding a gap and pulling it firmly out of it's tucked-in state. As he revealed more flawless skin his warm hand became more bold, caressing and stroking before leaving the wizard's torso entirely and sneaking downward to grasp and squeeze purposefully. The zipper at Draco's fly had just been released with a clever slip of Jacob's fingers when the bed dipped with something decidedly _not_ Draco or Jacob, and the sounds of the room were broken by a persistant "_mmmbrrrroww_!"  
Jacob's fingers stilled even as Draco buried his own into the longish black hair now untied, and the shape-shifter froze, his mouth still open against Draco's jaw. His breath felt hot against Draco's skin and the wizard could feel the lips and tongue against his cheek when his boyfriend spoke exhasperatedly. "You kidding me?"  
Razor busied himself burrowing between the couple, nudging his way in until is furry head was pushed up under Draco's chin. Then, with a purr he closed his eyes, oblivious to the tension and frustration of the men he separated.  
"I hate your cat, Draco." the larger murmered as he braced his hands and lifted himself off his boyfriend. Given the space, Draco rudely shoved the panther off of him and glared down the resultant yowl.  
"Yeah, sometimes he's a right pain in the ass."  
"Or in the groin," Jacob muttered, rubbing himself a bit in reference to his unrelieved state. "There's a word for it, you know." Jacob said conversationally as Draco came closer again to lean into him, covering the rubbing hand with his smaller, pale hand. "Cock-block. That's what you should call him."  
Draco laughed. "I've got an idea." he stood, and when Jacob made a noise of discontent he ignored it. He stepped out into the hall, then whistled. Razor padded obediently out the door to his master, who dodged back into the room and closed the door. To be sure, he added a silent locking spell. "Billy won't mind him, right?" Draco asked, suddenly feeling a bit guilty about the cub tricked into the hallway.  
"Right now I don't give a damn what Billy minds or doesn't. Now please, give a man a hand. It's my birthday for chrissakes."  
Draco smirked. "A hand? That could be arranged."

***

Later, Draco leaned over the side of the bed and fished his pocketwatch from his coat. With a glance at it, he sighed. "We're due back at the house."  
"Now?"  
"Just about."  
Jacob groaned and rolled over so that Draco was tucked closer to him. "It's a ten minute drive. Does it matter if we're a bit later than that?"  
"I was going to apparate us home?"  
"Hm?"  
"Apparate. Like, to disappear and reappear in a different place. I'm throwing you as much magic as possible for your birthday."  
"Can you get in trouble for that?"  
"Technically, yes." Draco rubbed his left forearm like he did when he was uncomfortable. "People like you shouldn't know about or see magic, but the minister has been blocking this region so that Harry and I can do whatever we want... Within reason of course. He trusts Harry implicitly."  
"Not you?"  
"No one trusts me. Now, we should probably get going." He rezipped and fastnened his pants and sat up to fix his shirt. After a moment, Jake finally gave in and pulled his shirt back on over his head after finding it at the foot of the bed. Draco had appreciated this shirt quite a lot- it featured a silver dragon across the back that, while clearly a muggle's rendition, looked stunningly realistic. He told Jacob so.  
"What do you mean it looks realistic?"  
Draco gave him a look.  
"No way," Jake said, dumbfounded.  
Draco nodded. "You should ask Harry about them," he said as he fixed his hair in his reflection at the window. "He's had loads of experience."  
"This is ridiculous."  
"You have no idea."

The wizard opened the bedroom door to find Razor curled up there, asleep with his tail over his nose.  
Jake snatched up the rememberall from where it had slipped to the carpet during their fun and made to pocket it. "Wait," he called back his boyfriend. Draco turned to find him admiring the swirling smoke, now red.  
"I almost forgot. I was wondering if you could fix something for me. With magic."  
Draco smiled. "I could give it a go."  
Jacob gestured to the pile of splinters that still remained on the corner of the desk. Draco prodded the pile with the tip of his wand and uncovered a thin leather cord curled up tightly beneath them.  
"What was it?"  
"Can you fix it?"  
"Probably. _Reparo_"  
The cord moved first, untwisting and unfurling until it was firm and new again, tied with care into a loop. Then the small woodchips, dark and black like ash reassembled piece by piece. As a wolf formed, small but graceful and powerful, Draco breathed softly "Oh, wow,"  
The wolf was strung onto the cord and finally two small red feathers floated gently from lost places beneath the desk and framed the wolf on either side.  
Magic complete, the necklace lay repaired and beautiful on the desk.  
Jake stared at it in awe. "It's perfect again." he said softly.  
"It's incredible," Draco agreed.  
"I'm glad you think so. It's yours. Merry Christmas, Draco."  
Draco picked it up and admired the wolf more closely. "Where did you get it?"  
"I made it," Jacob said proudly. "It took a while, and even longer for you to have it finally, but it was worth it."  
"You are amazing, Jacob."  
"I try."

***

Draco picked up his cub and carried him out the front door to the Black's yard. They had passed Billy's still-closed door on the way out and the wizard grimaced. "You don't think he _heard_ us do you?"  
"With the way you squeal and groan, probably."  
"Excuse me, at least I don't pant and grunt like a wolf in heat."  
"I practically am a wolf in heat."  
"You said it, not me."  
"I'm not ashamed. I don't care if he heard us. We didn't even go all the way."  
"Next time I won't forget silencing charms."  
"Have you been using those often?"  
"Only when we've been at my house. Harry does me the courtesy so," he shrugged his shoulders. Now off the property and just inside the woods, Draco took one of Jake's hands in his own and held it firmly.  
"Are you ready?" he asked. "Don't let go, and try to breathe normally."  
"Yeah, I'm good."  
Draco squeezed once more for good measure and rechecked his hold on Razor.  
"On three then. One, two,-"  
He spun and they disapperated with a loud snap.

When their feet touched down again they were in the kitchen of the safe house. Jacob bent over and choked up his birthday cake across the floor. Draco stepped back smartly to avoid the mess and didn't release his hold on his squirming panther.  
"First apparation's the worst," a voice called as Jacob retched again. "Even worse for a muggle." the voice added.  
With a wave of his wand the stranger vanished the mess and conjured a glass of water for Jacob, who accepted it gratefully.  
When he had caught his breath, glaring at Draco all the while, he finally spoke.  
"That was _awful_! Never do that to me again!"  
Draco shrugged. "You'll get used to it."

"Mister Malfoy, you're looking better than when we last met." The wizard said.  
"Yeah, most blokes look better when they're not in hysterics."  
"Is Mr. Potter still here?"  
"Is that the only reason you took the job?"  
The obliviator rolled up the sleeves of his robes. "Who wouldn't take the opportunity to do a job for Harry Potter?" he asked laughingly.  
"You're not doing a job for Potter, I hired you." Draco spoke with a sharp edge in his voice.  
The man's enthusiasm promptly fizzled out. "Yes, well. He is _here_ at least, isn't he?" he asked desperately.  
"No." Draco lied. Harry was, in fact, upstairs putting Teddy to bed. "He's not here."  
The obliviator looked startled, then frightened, and eyed the slytherin cryptically as he wondered if Harry had been killed by the notorious Malfoy heir.  
"For Merlin's sake! I haven't done anything wrong! Now do your job and leave us!"  
"Fine. Where is the muggle?"  
"He's the one who just sprayed chunks at your feet."  
Jacob's red face deepened and he wiped at his mouth self-conciously. Draco refilled the water glass with a wave of his wand and added a refreshing spell to clean his boyfriend's mouth.  
"Thanks."  
"Sure."  
"What the hell are you doing? If you want him obliviated, the less he sees the better. And this is the second time you've brought me to fix this one."  
"I don't want him obliviated, I want you to restore his old memories."  
"Why?"  
"Because I want you to."  
The wizard smirked. "_Why_?"  
"Because that's your job, you prick!"  
"Excuse me for breathing! I'm just wondering why Draco Malfoy wants not one but _two_ jobs doing for a muggle!"  
"It's not your business! And if you know what's good for you you will keep it out of _The Prophet _or I will ensure that you won't know hinkypunks from hippogriffs!" He pulled his wand threateningly and only lowered it because he caught Jacob's eye. The muggle's eyes had widened and he had taken a subtle step backward. Draco felt a pang in his chest and the obliviator rose his hands into the air in surrender.  
"Fine."  
He drew out a chair and ushered Jacob into it. "I haven't a clue why you're being toted around by Draco Malfoy, but you do know he hates your kind, right, Muggle?"  
Jacob nodded solemnly and Draco gritted his teeth.  
"Yeah, I've heard that we werewolves arn't everyone's favorite." Jake grinned exageratedly, baring his teeth.  
The wizard attempted to hide his horror. "Count backward from ten then," he stuttered, and when Jake dropped into a dazed state, finally began to relax and get to work.

***

"No, they're robes, not a dress," the pureblood answered Jacob. "We all wear them." he tugged at the sleeves of his button-down.  
"But he looked like an idiot."  
"He is an idiot. The robes don't do that to him. They were also a horrid cut. I happen to look very refined in my robes."  
Draco opened the door to his room, causing Razor to lift his head from his nap on the bed. He walked in and allowed Jake to follow behind him. The werewolf curiously admired the familar yet different room in amazment.  
"So what do you think?" the wizard asked softly.  
"_This_ is very Draco Malfoy," Jake affirmed.  
Draco smiled. They sat together on the bed.  
"So babe, do you really wear a wizard hat on special occasions?"

* * *

NOTE: So, I hope you enjoyed it! Definitely a filler chapter just for some fun. So, think we will have a bit more time here with Harry and Draco in school before we skip a few monthes to April. We will celebrate Teddy's 1st birthday and then experience the return of our villain... what will happen? Stay tuned.  
Thanks to all my reviewers, especially those who I wasn't able to reply to for any reason. Continue to let me know what you think!  
Loveably yours,  
darkestAngel13


	33. Chapter 33

A/N: Good morning/afternoon/evening to my lover-ly readers! I must confess, I have tried and tried and tried to improve this chapter, and I still hate it. It feels very forced, and I think it is because I am itching for time to pass in the story. The next chapter will have jumped to April, in time for Teddy's first birthday (as well as Draco's birthday!) Please review!  
Oh! Many of you have mentioned the format changes- I totally didn't realize I had changed what I was doing! I am trying to get back to the original now... let me know if it's any better. I will also try to go back and fix the previous ones that were messed up. Thanks! (P.S. I still don't own anything!)

* * *

**Friday, January 25th  
**  
The crowd had gathered rapidly, surrounding the concrete parking area just outside of the cafeteria. Chants and shouts arose as the two young men circled each other, one already catering to a sore jaw and the other bouncing slightly on the balls of his quick feet. Harry waited for Mike to charge him- a stupid move, really, and shifted rapidly to his left before darting out with his right fist to catch the other male in the cheek, just below the eye. Mike reeled slightly, shaking his head, and spun around to aim a wild punch at the side of Harry's face. The gryffindor dodged, only feeling a whisper of the fist as it whipped past and pulled back. The students surrounding them groaned and shouted, shoving each other for a better view of the fight. Edward Cullen leaned against the brick wall of the school with his arms folded guiltily for not stopping his boyfriend, but he knew better than to intervene. If Harry wanted to prove himself this way, he would let it happen.

There was a loud, wet crunch as Mike's nose buckled beneath Harry's swift left fist, and he fell with a cry to his knees. Edward reached into his pocket and fingered a deodorAnt, grateful for the barrier it created between his senses and the mouth-watering aroma of fresh blood. Mike swiped at his face with his arm, bloodying his sleeve and making a thorough mess. He knelt up to one knee, spitting through the flood from his nose, foolishly intending to try once more to get at Harry, who stood beside him, watching. Seeing the intent, the wizard moved forward threateningly and drew back his leg for a solid  
kick.

Mike whimpered in fear and dropped again, curling inward and covering his head protectively.

"Relax, I'm not going to hurt you anymore." Harry said quietly.

The surrounding students quickly dispersed as the fight noticably came to an end and teachers would surely be on the scene soon.

"Get up. You look a right mess."

Mike remained there on the damp ground, curling like a slug in salt. Eric approached the two slowly, and held out a hand to shake Harry's. The wizard wiped his bloody knuckles on his pants and shook.

"It's nothing personal, you know," he said awkwardly.

"I know. He's an idiot." Eric said.

Mike whined pitifully.

"Why is he like that?" Harry asked.

"He's a bigot," Eric explained awkwardly. "And he tries to impress people... It's a bad combination."

He knelt down and rolled his friend over, pulling a few tissues from his pocket and mopping at the mess from in and around his mouth.  
"But we've been friends since before kindergarten. The Mike Newton I know still shares his dunkaroos and plays Cops and Robbers."

"He's a bit of a dick." Harry muttered flatly.

"I know," Eric conceded.

Together they heaved the now quiet boy from the ground and supported him between them. His face was becoming very pale very fast as his nose continued to stream. Eric pinched a wad of tissues over the nose and Mike complained in pain.

"Sorry! Sorry, you have to make it stop. Tilt your head." Eric told him.

The cold winter air made Harry shiver. When they reached the door Edward held out a warm grey scarf that Harry gratefully wrapped himself in. It was at this time that a rush of teachers and security guards arrived. Bill Weasley led the pack and Harry did his best to look innocent- an attempt that was overwhelmed by Mike Newton, held up between Eric and the wizard and looking dangerously close to passing out. When a large man in a yellow jacket hurried over to support the injured Mike Newton, Bill yanked Harry by the arm and took him away.

"What the hell did you do?" he demanded in a quiet tone. _"What were you thinking?"_

"It was a fight, Bill. Actually, the first school-yard fight I've ever won," he added with a hint of pride.

"Harry, this was stupid. The more you get in trouble here, the more the school wants to contact your guardians and they get more and more into our business. You already have detention today!" Bill tightened his grip on Harry's arm to emphasize his point.

"How does _everyone _know I have detention today?" Harry asked exhasperatedly.

The eldest Weasley eyed him sardonically. "You forget that we have eyes and ears on you all the time here."

"Then why didn't you break up the fight sooner?" Harry challenged.

Bill didn't answer.

_"Well?" _The boy-who-lived crossed his arms petulantly.

"We all wanted to see you mess the little bugger, alright? Once it started we weren't going to stop it."

"So why are you mad at me?" Harry complained aloud, and Bill shushed him.

"I'm _not,"_ he insisted. "I'm proud of you in a big-brother sort of way, but we can't afford to have social workers and administrators calling! Harry, did you know that teenagers can be _arrested _for fights like this?"

Harry lowered his head. "I'm sorry."

Bill scowled, the smooth scars on his face wrinkling a bit. "Just come on."  
He gripped Harry's shoulders and steered him through the gathering of adults toward the main office.  
"Cullen," he called.

The vampire met his eyes to show that he was listening.

"Get to class."

Edward nodded once and slinked back through the cafeteria to get to biology.

::::

Harry watched the clock tick by. The teacher, whom he did not know, rocked backward in the large chair behind the desk and made a few more marks on the paper he was grading.

"So there's seriously nothing I have to do?" Harry asked again.

"Nope." the teacher popped the 'p' and crossed out something several unnecessary times with a flourish of red ink.

"No lines? No extra assignments? No, er, cleaning or punishment or _something_?" The wizard was sitting at a desk that was sligthly too small, his knees brushed the underside of its gum-encrusted surface. He wanted to _evanesco _the grime off of the filthy thing, but Bill had made him swear not to use magic. He traced some rude engravings in the desktop with his fingernail.

"No," the teacher said offhandedly.

"So what do I do?"

"Sit and be quiet."

"For forty more minutes?" Harry was aware that his voice rose an octave or two in surprise and he stared at the supervisor in shock.

"Yes. Hush."

Harry huffed and looked at the clock again. He wondered how disappointed Bill would be if he made the clock hands move a bit faster to hurry things along.

"Don't you have any homework?" The teacher finally asked between papers.

"No, it's finished."

"Book assignments?"

Harry hesitated. "Yes," he admitted.

"Get reading."

The gryffindor fished the excessively boring book from his backpack and reluctantly began to read. There was, after all, nothing better to do. And Bill _had _made him swear not to use any magic.

::::

"What did they make you do?" Draco asked curiously.

"Nothing." Harry cut up more pieces of his dinner to place on Teddy's tray and pushed Razor away from where he was licking the boy's tiny feet.

"No lines?"

"No."

"Not even an essay?"

"No. I just had to 'think about my past and future actions, and the consequences of them.' And I read that awful book for English class."

"Breaking the rules is definitely worth it if thats the only retribution," Draco deduced.

"Yeah, well that was only detention. Now I'm stuck in that stupid room for the next seven school days for '_in school suspension'_."

"I heard it was a good fight at least," the slytherin said, as if this would detract from the boredom his friend would be suffering.

"He wasn't very good."

"The word is that you broke his nose," Draco said excitedly. "Do you think you really did?"

"I know I did. I feel kind of bad."

Teddy looked up from his meal at that. "Bad, Bad, Bad," he sang.

Draco talked over the babbling boy. "Don't feel bad. He will leave you alone now. And a broken nose isn't so bad. It's just tender for a long time."

"You would know?"

Teddy, not one to be ignored, threw his cup to the floor and screeched "BAD!"  
Draco picked it up and spelled it to the tray, (much to the child's frustration) before explaining.

"My nose was broken when I was thirteen."

"Really? How?"

"Your friend Hermione could pack a punch." the pureblood said bitterly.

"Wait. Hermione _broke your nose_?"

Draco nodded.

"Can I tell her? Oh she will be so pleased." Harry had half a mind to floo his best friends right then and there, but knew that he wasn't to contact them unless there was another emergency. Strictly speaking, he should not contact them even then.

"Next time you see her you can tell her. I don't really care."

"Thanks."

Harry took pity on his godson and unstuck the sippy-cup with which he had been struggling, allowing Teddy to sip his milk.  
"So what should we do tonight?" he asked.

Draco looked up from his own dinner. "Want to go to the mall? We haven't been just us three in a while."

"How late is it open?"

"It's the mall, Harry. It's open late."

The gryffindor checked the time. "It's five now, we could get there by six-"

"-and be home by ten." Draco finished.

Harry whistled. "Our social lives suck."

"That's because we have a baby to worry about. At least _I've _been going out most weekends. You should come, Harry, there's a party tomorrow night." Draco offered.

Harry looked doubtful.

"_Live _a little, Harry! You've gone from savior to working man to student and parent! Just go do something spontaneous. I'll go too. We can leave Mini-Moony with Diggle."

"Dig!" Teddy chirped up, his fingers in his mouth.

"I know," the wizard agreed. "Edward keeps telling me the same thing. Okay, I'll go. But tonight we take Teddy with us."

"Of course. I'll go get washed up." And Draco took off to proceed with his pre-outing grooming.

::::

At five fifteen, Harry was in the driver's seat of the Lotus Evora, Viktor Krum was squashed comically into the passenger seat, and Draco had taken up the seat beside Teddy in the back.

"Vhere is Edward tonight?" Krum asked conversationally.

"He's hunting with his brothers this weekend. He'll be back Monday morning before school."

"Oh. I vent hunting vonce vith my father and his friend. It vos a great adventure."

"Mhm," Harry said noncommittaly.

The conversation ended awkwardly there for a beat too long before the gryffindor reached out and turned on the radio. They spent the rest of the drive to the mall singing and laughing aloud.

::::

"He's getting too big for this Snuggly thing," Harry commented as they walked through the automatic doors.

"You can borrow one of those carriages," Draco informed him, pointing to the renting kiosk.

"Should I?"

Teddy took this opportunity to reach up, curl his wet fingers around a chunk of his godfather's hair and _pull_.

"Youch! No, Teddy. That hurts," he tried to untangle the small hands from his hair.

"Dont do that, baby, it makes me sad." he tried again, prying at Teddy's grip.

Teddy reluctantly let go and his eyes turned blue.

"Yes. Sad. Thank you. Now let's get you a carriage." Remembering belatedly, he pulled a small cap out of Teddy's diaper bag and pulled it down to the boy's ears. "The day you can control this morphing I'll be thrilled," Harry muttered.

They paid the small rental fee and strapped the baby in with minimal fussing before beginning their wander around the mall. An hour later, Draco was laden with bags from various shops and Teddy was babbling to a new toy that lit up and played music when he shook it. Viktor and Harry were yet to find anything worth buying, which Draco criticized.

"What do you mean there's nothing you really need? Krum, you only own two muggle outfits- that's pathetic. There's a sale at this place called Dry Dolphin- I'm sure we can find something tolerable there."  
He was off in a matter of seconds, walking expectantly in a manner that left the other men no option but to follow.

"Draco, this store is called 'Wet Seal,' not 'Dry Dolphin.'" Harry said conversationally as they entered.

"I know," Draco said defensively, "But I prefer the latter- the alliteration really draws people. For example, if you asked me _'where did you get those jeans_,' and I said _'Wet Seal_,' you would go home trying to remember which aquatic animal matched which adjective. Was it _'Moist Porpoise_?' Or _'Dehydrated Urchin_?' The best solution is to match the consonants. Ergo, _'Dry Dolphin_.'" He plucked a pair of dark-wash jeans from a rack and slung them over his arm.  
"How do you feel about skinny jeans, Krum?"

Viktor looked up, startled. "They seem very, vell, _tight_," he said uncomfortably, noticing the very snug pair which hugged Draco's thighs and hips and wincing.

Draco shrugged. "Trying them on can't do any damage," he supposed, and slung another pair over his arm. Harry sent a pitying look over at the Bulgarian, who reached down and adjusted himself in a frightened, protective manner. "Vell, ...great."

::::

With their bodyguard significantly better dressed, in Draco's opinion, the three wizards found themselves heavily weighed down by numerous bags of a variety of goods as their outing came to a close. Draco toted his own clothing and several new shirts for Jacob, ("He ruins about three a day, I swear, and I can't be expected to fix all of them!") while Krum and Harry each carried their own and significantly fewer purchases. A few bags were strung from the handles of Teddy's carriage and banged Harry's knees as he pushed it. Teddy had fallen asleep with a pacifier in his mouth and was attracting the attention of all the females who passed by the group of men. As they were readying to leave, and older woman approached them. The gryffindor found it odd that she had no shopping bags with her. Who would be out so late shopping with nothing to show for it? He sped up his steps in hopes to avoid a conversation, but was intercepted.

"My, my, he is precious, isn't he?" the old woman cooed, stooping down and leaning on her walker for balance as she took a better look at the sleeping boy.

"Yes, that's very nice of you," Harry replied. "It's past his bed time, though, so we better be going." He made to turn the stroller past the woman but she shuffled in front once more.

"But you are far too young to be his daddy, aren't you?" she asked nosily, shaking a finger. "The morals of teenagers these days," she began to lecture.

"He's not my son," Harry said swiftly, interrupting her. "and I mean no offense, but it's quite rude of you to say such a thing. It wouldn't be your business even if he were mine."

"Of course, dear," she said, shaking her head. "You're right, of course. Forgive and old woman. I apologize."

"Sure," Harry said awkwardly, intending again to move around the elderly woman. "Have a good night."

But the woman had no intention of shutting up, or letting them leave, it seemed. "My name is Gretchen," she told him, and Harry stopped again as she placed her walker in front of the stroller's front wheel. "Gretchen Willowtree. From just over on Bentancourt Drive, lived there all my life," she said proudly. "You know it?"

"Ah, no, actually." Harry admitted. "We're not from this area. We're living in Forks." Draco stood hard on his foot and Harry grimaced. Really though, what harm could this woman do?

"Forks, you say? Good, good. I'm the last of the Willowtrees, you know," she crowed, and Harry tried to smile politely. "Well now, I'm eighty-six years old and my daughter's gone and raising her family in New York with some good-for-nothing fella, taking all my grandkids with her. She's got one about this age, I think," she told them, bending down to examine Teddy again. Harry wanted to pull the carriage closer to himself.

"He's sweet as sugar, isn't he, the Little Bug," she simpered. She reached into her purse and Harry noticed that both Draco and Krum were eying the motion very carefully. Gretchen's head was bowed as she dug through the bag, muttering madly. Harry studied the old woman from head to toe, taking in her baggy clothing and white nurse shoes. Her hair was wiry and gray, frazzled about her face but matted at the roots, which were an oily, blond color. Her walker seemed to rickedy to hold her up, and she leaned heavily upon it, causing the tennisballs on its legs to be rather squished.

"I have something," she mumbled, rumaging within the bag's numerous compartments. "It's only a matter of- ah!" she plucked a small matchbox car from the depths of the purse and shoved it without hesitation into Harry's hand. "I'm sure he'll just love it!" she said promisingly with a nod. My grandson left it when they visited last, and he hasn't missed it yet. Your boy will have it then." She grinned, revealing too-big dentures that slipped. Gretchen then reached down and patted Teddy's head- rather firmly, for touching a sleeping child, Harry thought. If Teddy woke up, Harry would be furious with this woman. But no, Teddy squirmed, then resettled, sucking madly on the pacifier, but didn't wake up.

The old woman straightened herself again, readjusted her bag on her shoulder, and shuffled past, allowing them to move on at last. She winked at Draco. "Little Bug," she said again fondly.

::::

"That was weird, Harry." Draco insisted as they loaded their bags into the trunk of the Lotus. Krum was standing watch as it was now dark in the almost-deserted parking lot.

"It was strange, I know," Harry agreed as he buckled his still-sleeping godson into his carseat. "but don't you think she was just..."

"Just what? Batty? Insane? Dangerous?" Draco rattled.

"No, just _old_."

Draco stared at him. "I think you see too much innocense in people, Harry."

"I think you see too much corruption in people, Draco," Harry fired back.

"Harry?" Krum interrupted.

"What is it?"

"There is someone in that vehicle over there, but they are not driving."

Draco closed the trunk with a solid 'thunk.' "Stay with Teddy, Harry." he muttered. "We'll go see if everything is alright."  
Krum and Malfoy approached the car with their wands held ready. The engine was running though the lights were dim and no music came from within. In the dark, Draco could make out a hunched form at the wheel.

_"Lumos," _he whispered, raising the light for a better look. She was naked, was the first thing that he noticed. Her underclothes were the only thing remaining to conserve her elderly modesty. Her gnarled hands didn't grip the steering wheel, but rather were propped against it as though placed there by someone else for show. Her dentures had been taken, leaving her damp mouth wide and gaping. Her hair was a wreck as well- ripped out in places and entirely gray with age. The real Gretchen Willowtree, if that was her real name, was here, clearly dead. And the woman inside...

"Harry! What did she give you?" Draco shouted across the crisp, dark night.

"What?" The gryffindor called back in confusion.

"That woman is here- she's dead! Whatever she gave you, it wasn't her! Get rid of it!" Draco allowed a hint of panic to enter his tone as he raised his lighted wand and searched the darkness around him for a sign that someone might be watching them. There was a clatter of plastic on pavement as Harry dropped the toy car with haste, and a gruff _"Expulso!" _rent the air. The car became a smudge of ash on the pavement and the gryffindor cast numerous detecting spells on himself and his godson to see if any curses or spells had been placed on them. There were none.

Draco and Krum hurried back to the black haired wizard, who was shaking slightly.

"She didn't do anything to us," he informed them. "It must have been in the car. Whatever it was, it was in the toy car."

"Harry?"

"hm?"

"My grandmother, I only met her a few times when I was really young, and I only just remembered now, but she used to call me 'Bug.' Mother hated that name."

"Your father is a bastard, Draco." Harry said bitterly. He cast a ward around the car just to be safe and they all piled in. Teddy was still blessedly asleep.

"I know." Draco agreed. "We'll get him."

"But now ve know he has polyjuice. Vhere do you think he's getting it?" Krum asked.

"I don't know. No one should be supplying him willingly. He may have an apothecary imperioused or something," Harry reasoned. "I'll have Kingsley make a note to check with potioneers and apothecaries to make sure everyone's in their right mind. Maybe someone knows something." He pulled out of the parkinglot and onto the main road that would take them back to Forks. "Draco, send a patronus home to the guard. Get some men to tail us and make sure Lucius isn't following. He can't run, so he'll be apparating if he follows us. There will be a trail."

The pureblood cast his patronus and send the Razor look-alike dashing through the darkness ahead of them. Harry flicked on the windshield wipers as rain began to fall steadily.

"Only I've just remembered something, Harry." he said quietly, stroking one of Teddy's small fists with a finger. "You told my father we live in Forks."

"Oh, shit."

* * *

Note: **MY MAJOR BLUNDER! **When I gave kudos to my 1,000th reviewer, I thanked the wrong author! darkmoonfairy16 was my 1,000th reviewer, who is absolutely lovely and forgiving :) While I'm sure the other darkmoonfairy is just as nice, I have no idea who that is... oops! So, to show my appreciation to darkmoonfairy16, I'm going to try and send some traffic that way! Check out darkmoonfairy16's page .net/u/961620/darkmoonfairy16 THANKS AGAIN!

**FREEZE! **If you're about to hit that follow button, dash me a review too, please? Thanks!

**ONE LAST THING:**It seems like my mom's cancer is creeping up on us once more. (This is the third time) Those of you who have been with my story for a while have gotten me through this before and I just ask again for prayers (or just some nice thoughts if prayer isn't your thing,). I'm leaving home this week for college, and I want my mom to be healthy and safe while I'm gone, so thanks for your support.

Love and things,  
darkestAngel13


	34. Chapter 34

Author's Notw: First, I don't own anything. Second, I AM SO SORRY for this ridiculous delay! Third, please read the notes at the bottom of this chapter for an** important message!**

* * *

_**Last Chapter:**  
"My grandmother, I only met her a few times when I was really young, and I only just remembered now, but she used to call me 'Bug.' Mother hated that name."_

_"Your father is a bastard, Draco." Harry said bitterly. He cast a ward around the car just to be safe and they all piled in. Teddy was still blessedly asleep._

_"I know." Draco agreed. "We'll get him."_

_"But now ve know he has polyjuice. Vhere do you think he's getting it?" Krum asked._

_"I don't know. No one should be supplying him willingly. He may have an apothecary imperioused or something," Harry reasoned. "I'll have Kingsley make a note to check with potioneers and apothecaries to make sure everyone's in their right mind. Maybe someone knows something." He pulled out of the parkinglot and onto the main road that would take them back to Forks. "Draco, send a patronus home to the guard. Get some men to tail us and make sure Lucius isn't following. He can't run, so he'll be apparating if he follows us. There will be a trail."_

_The pureblood cast his patronus and send the Razor look-alike dashing through the darkness ahead of them. Harry flicked on the windshield wipers as rain began to fall steadily._

_"Only I've just remembered something, Harry." he said quietly, stroking one of Teddy's small fists with a finger. "You told my father we live in Forks."_

_"Oh, shit."_

* * *

**Three months later:**

"Teddy! Leave it alone for five bloody seconds!" Harry pleaded as he lowered his camera for what felt like the hundredth time.  
"No!" The child ripped the cone-shaped hat from his head and threw it firmly to the ground. Again Harry stooped, smoothed out the crinkles in the thin cardboard, and placed it on his godson's head- this time spelling it there for good measure.

"Please, Teddy! Take a happy picture so I have something to show everyone!"  
"No!"  
"Yes! _Please_!"

Teddy pulled at the elastic under his chin, causing it to snap back at him, pinching his skin. He screeched and Harry clicked the camera.  
"Great," the wizard muttered sarcastically as the picture displayed on the small screen; Teddy's face was an angry red as he screamed, hands fisted in his brown hair, and what had once been a beautifully sliced bit of cake was now a crumbled mess of frosting across the tray and smeared thoroughly over the boy.

The gryffindor finally acquiesced, casting cleaning charms on Teddy's hands and face and finally reliving him of the unbearable hat. He rubbed his fingers soothingly under Teddy's chin where the strap had caught him and "hush"ed quietly.

"I don't have time for this right now. We'll try again after school, hm?"  
The big, fat, rolling tears that streaked the child's chocolate cheeks slowed and Teddy complained his favorite word once more in a sad "Nooo."

Harry sighed and crossed to the kitchen sink where he washed his hands and wiped away the sticky fingerprints that he had left accidentally on the camera.  
"You know, Ted," he spoke over his shoulder, "when we go home I better have more than just angry pictures of you. Everyone's going to think I'm a horrid parent."

"No they won't."

Harry spun quickly, his wand already clutched in one soapy hand. He clutched it to his chest, leaving a wet mark on his shirt as he sighed in relief.  
"_Don't_sneak up on me like that!" he admonished his lover.

Edward grinned a crooked smile. "I'm sorry. Can I make it up to you?"  
Harry's anger melted. "You can try," he told him cheekily.

Edward growled at the invitation and swept across the kitchen to hold Harry there against the sink before catching him up in a fiery kiss.  
"Mm, Good morning," the vampire said when he pulled back.  
"You too."  
"You're running late today. We have to leave soon." Edward informed him without looking at a clock.

"I know, I know! I was trying to take Teddy's birthday picture but he's being a downright monster today, and Draco left earlier to meet Jake before classes at the reservation start, and I haven't-"  
"had breakfast yet." Edward finished for him.

"Yes, how did you know?" Harry asked curiously as he lifted Teddy from his seat. His godson kicked wildly in protest and whined loudly. "No No No!"

Harry struggled but held Teddy more tightly and hushed and bounced in an attempt to calm him.  
"What is with this?" he asked his boyfriend desperately as he patted Teddy's bottom. "He's not supposed to be 'terrible' until two, not one!"  
"Maybe it's the moon?" Edward suggested. "It's full tonight."

A dawning look fell over Harry's face. "Oh Merlin, you don't think-"  
"I'm not saying he's going to transform or anything... Just maybe he's having a reaction. Like an allergy or something." Edward assured a panicking Harry.

"Oh, Teddy, and on your birthday." Harry cooed. The one year old's sobs had reached an uncontrollable state and he began to hiccup between breaths, still kicking madly.

At that time, Dedalus entered the kitchen. Finding Harry looking utterly at a loss and Edward now covering his sensitive ears from the wails, the elder wizard approached and pulled the baby out of Harry's arms.  
"Best let him beat it out of his system, Harry," he lectured. "There's no use comforting a tantrum." and he carried Teddy to the living room, where he laid the boy down on the carpet to kick and hit and scream to his heart's content.

"D'you think he'll do that every month now?" Harry asked timidly.  
"I have no idea," Edward admitted frankly. "There's no use in asking me. But it might have nothing to do with the moon. We really have no way of knowing. Now come on, you should have some breakfast and get to school before they toss you into suspension again." he chuckled at the dread that Harry expressed.

"Excuse me, I haven't had _detention_let alone another suspension since then!" the gryffindor argued playfully. He tucked two slices of bread into the toaster, but cast a look at the clock and pulled them out again. With a quick charm the bread was crispy and steaming gently while he charmed a knife to spread it with butter and grape jelly. Wrapping his breakfast in a paper towel he grabbed his keys, kissed a still whimpering Teddy goodbye and said through a mouthful "Let's go."

Harry was restless throughout the entire school day. When he wasn't in class or talking to Edward he was sneaking away to empty halls (as had become his habit in recent weeks,) to meet with Bill or Krum and ask desperately if Lucius had made an appearance. In addition, every second thought that he had was of Teddy- wondering if the poor boy had ceased his screaming and tears.

When the final bell rang, Harry and Draco each reached over and turned off their computers with a grateful sigh.  
"So, party's at four?" Draco clarified as students bustled around to leave.  
"Yes. Hopefully Teddy will have had a descent nap and will be awake for most of it." Harry looked up at the entrance to the classroom and grinned to find Edward standing there waiting for him.

"Edward and I are going to make a stop at the store before he drives me home. See you there." He told the blond.  
Draco nodded, thumbing a text to his own boyfriend while the three of them made the their way out of the building. "Sure. Oh, and constant vigilance and all that," he mumbled to the departing gryffindor.

"Good old Moody," Harry said fondly with a smile, and he tapped his forearm with a finger to show that he was indeed armed. "Later."  
Draco nodded absently again and slid his phone shut to slide into his pocket. "Later."

When Harry and Edward entered the house at quarter to four there was a loud bout of shouting going on within. Harry deposited the bags he was holding on the kitchen counter and walked through the various rooms of the safehouse, looking for the source of noise. Finally, he turned a corner and found Edward standing at the base of the steps to the basement.

"They're down there," the vampire said stiffly, nose bunched. "Jacob's here too."

Harry gave his boyfriend a look. "I told Draco that he could be here. Just stay away from him if you can't control yourself."  
He pulled his wand, more out of comfort than fear, as they descended the steps to the basement.

The floor had been divided into various areas upon their inhabitance of the home. Using expansion charms, it housed a dueling platform, fighting mats, target dummies, heavy bags, and several muggle cardio-machines. As it was, the fighting mats were currently occupied with a rather vicious wrestling match between none other than Jacob Black and Viktor Krum.  
Draco stood off to the side, arms crossed and hip jutted out as he gazed fondly at his powerful boyfriend. With a woosh of breath Krum was slammed down against the soft mat amidst the rowdy cheers of the rest of the guard. He didn't concede, however, and quickly maneuvered his legs to trap Jacob's- effectively toppling the Quileute with a hefty slap against the mat beside him. The two men lay, panting with their backs to the ground for a moment before their laughter took over and they shared a friendly handshake.  
Harry and Edward watched silently from the staircase as Jacob merged with the wizards. He didn't fit in, that was for sure. The werewolf was taller than most of them, only matched in shear height and girth by Krum himself, and he was a hair taller than Bill Weasley, but his patched t-shirt and torn jeans most definitely separated him from the guard. Harry's men either dressed in wizarding garb or the very fine muggle clothing that Kingsley had personally footed the bill for. Harry was perpetually grateful that he wasn't protected by men in scuba-diving gear or (Merlin forbid,) nightdresses.

As the couple watched, Draco suavely pushed himself from the pillar he had been leaning on, smoothly made his way through the rowdy wizards, and tugged gently on the back of Jake's tshirt collar. The werewolf bent backward to accommodate him with a grin and the two shared a playful kiss over Jacob's right shoulder. No one seemed surprised with Draco's subsequent 'outing.' Indeed, when a few men began to holler at the scene the pureblood sureptitiously slipped his wand from it's sheath and waggled it in the offenders' direction without breaking the kiss- silencing any further comments.

Jake grabbed his boyfriend's wrist and squeezed gently, coercing him to calm himself and put away the wand. When it was out of sight Jacob pulled away and turned them to face the staircase from where his senses had told him he was being watched.

"Potter!" Draco sputtered, a bit surprised and his fingers still clinging to Jake's tshirt "I thought shopping would take longer than fourty-five minutes!"

Harry laughed. "With Edward's speed and driving, we spent longer at the checkout counter than in the store or on the road." he descended the steps and hefted a slumbering Teddy from Dedalus's arms. "Oh, and who said you could snog Jake here? This is Teddy's day, not your coming out party." he asked teasingly.  
"Stuff it, Harry." Draco answered good naturedly. "Jake's the only reason the birthday boy's not crying, you know," he told the surprised godfather.

"Really?" The gryffindor turned to Dedalus for confirmation.  
"The sorry bugger screamed himself hoarse most of the day, Harry. Biggest crocodile tears I've ever seen, but he sniffled right up when Jacob here came in the door. He gave him a cuddle and dropped off to sleep. I took him back when the boys decided to wrestle. That was all about twenty minutes ago."

Harry rocked his godson and nuzzled him closer into his chest. "So it _is_ a werewolf thing," he said quietly.  
"So it would seem," Dedalus confirmed softly.

"Well then!" Jake said happily, causing Teddy to startle and scrunch up his legs before resettling and giving a soft snore. Jacob lowered his boisterous voice. "I guess you'll need to keep me on hand, won't you?" he asked the group at large.

Harry smiled at him. "Thanks."

"Happy Birthday to you!" the men finished awkwardly. Only Edward's soft voice stood out as having any sort of melody to it, although Teddy didn't seem to mind. He clapped his hands and screeched his happiness at everyone's attention and the bright, bright flames in front of him. The cake looked delicious. It had been baked and frosted by Harry himself the night before, a white cake with a chocolate frosted top. Blue piping trailed along its outside and around it's circumference and the flicker of the candles illuminated "Happy 1st Birthday, Teddy!" in Harry's slanted scrawl. The birthday boy reached forward again, tugging against the shoulder straps that kept him in his seat and out of the fire. The guard, Jacob, Draco and Edward looked on as Harry securely grasped his godson's hands and then pulled the cake closer.

"Blow, Teddy," Harry instructed, puffing his cheeks and blowing on the boy's face to demonstrate.  
"Fffff!" Teddy sounded out around his tiny teeth, his eyes wide with excitement. "Blow, blow, ffff!"

Harry gently blew over the baby's shoulder and the flames flickered out, cloaking the room in darkness while the room erupted in applause. With a wave of his wand, Dedalus whisked the cake away to be sliced and served. Harry leaned back against his boyfriend and reveled in the comfort of his strong arms at his waist.

"I can't believe he's one," he murmured quietly. Even beneath the din of the loud room he knew Edward could hear him.  
"I remember when he was born. We were up at Bill's place- he has his own little hut on a beachfront. Nice and private. It was pouring and we're all frustrated and mourning and angry... And out of it all, out of all that... _death,_he was born. I'll never forget how proud Remus was. The look on his face, I..." Harry choked a bit and shook his head. "They should be here. It's not fair."

"Shh," Edward crooned, dropping a kiss to Harry's messy locks. "It's not fair, Harrison. But you're doing wonderfully. I'm sure Remus and Tonks appreciate everything you do for him."

As if on cue, Harry's watch beeped to signal the hour and there was a bright flash of white accompanied by a bang of silver smoke.  
Immediately the laughter of the room was cut short as Draco violently tugged the back of Jacob's shirt, wrenching him bodily away from the table and out of the thick of things while Harry cast a bubble charm around Teddy and his chair and ripped the entire contraption backward.

All the wizards in the room stood stock still, wands held rigidly and staring around the room for the source of the disturbance. In quick succession members of the guard disapperated to various locations to test the security of the home. Teddy began to cry, but when Jacob reached out to comfort him he was repelled by Harry's spell. Teddy whimpered. Edward began to say something but Harry cut him off with a flick of his hand, gesturing for him to back away and leave this situation to those with magic. The vampire and werewolf exchanged a glance and followed their boyfriends' wishes, retreating behind the bar of the kitchen. Hesitantly, Harry waved his wand in a graceful arc through the now misty fog to clear it entirely. Innocently sat upon the table was a blue envelope. There was a sticker sealing it- a small brown teddy bear drumming a tiny drum and wearing a birthday hat. Harry levitated it, turning it over to read the inscription on it's front and his heart caught in his throat at the neat script.

"_To our beautiful boy on his first birthday_." it read. "_Love Mummy and Daddy_."

"Harry?" Draco asked him carefully. "It's not from my Father, is it?"  
"No," Harry answered, unable to take his eyes off the neat handwriting. "It's from Remus, Draco. Remus and Tonks sent him a letter."

"No, Harry. Remus and Tonks are-"  
"Dead, I know! I'm just telling you what it says."

"Listen, Harry. Put down the letter and go stand with Edward. Take Teddy out too, he's scared. I'll take a look at this." The slytherin watched Harry to see if he would disobey, and sighed in relief when he seemed to remain calm.

The boy who lived nodded at his friend, almost unaware of his own self as he took down the shield protecting Teddy and cradled him in his arms. When he approached the two men behind the bar he passed his godson into the warm arms of the werewolf and allowed himself to drop bonelessly into Edward's arms.

"Is it possible?" he asked the vampire quietly.  
"I don't know, Harrison," Edward said. "This seems far more like your world than mine."  
"Dumbledore always said 'no spell can bring back the dead.'" Harry whispered. Edward nodded, brushing his fingers through the hair at Harry's temples, soothing him.  
"He also said 'the ones who love us never really leave us,'"

"Carlisle said something similar to me once," the vampire mused. "When my human memories were fading and I was forgetting my family."  
"Do you have any pictures of them?" the wizard asked quietly  
"No."

"Harry!" Bill Weasley called the gryffindor back over to the table where he and Malfoy had been observing the mysterious envelope.  
"There's no curses or anything malicious in it at all," the curse-breaker confirmed.

"Who sent it then?" Harry asked, wondering desperately.  
"Remus and Tonks," Draco supplied. "It's real- they used a timerelease charm, as far as I can tell."

"But how did they know to-?"  
"Harry," Bill interrupted. "Everyone was preparing for the worst, even expecting it. Mum and dad wrote their wills, even Charlie and I and the twins had worked our stuff out. Remus had his head on straight, even if Tonks was a bit flighty at times." he said fondly. "It doesn't surprise me a wit that they thought of this."

The kitchen was silent save for the contented cooing and chatter that Teddy exchanged with Jacob. Harry stared down at the envelope, watching the small bear drum a rat-a-tat-tat rhythm. He picked the letter up and felt its weight. It was heavy with sheets of folded parchment and he ran a finger over the script. The ink glistened; it was dry, though it appeared so fresh it looked as though it had only been penned hours before.

"D'you want to open it, Harry?" Bill asked quietly.  
"No," Harry said right away. "It's for Teddy. I'll keep it safe for him until he's ready to read it and understand it himself."  
He felt Edward approach behind him, slipping arms around his waist and tilting his head to plant a kiss at the base of his neck.  
"Good idea," Edward told him softly. "Why don't we finish celebrating now, hm?"  
Harry smiled and turned around to kiss his boyfriend solidly.  
"Sure."

Bill sent patronuses around to alert the guard of the lack of danger and an hour later their celebration was in full swing once more. Teddy was asleep in his chair, caked from head to toe in well, cake, which Razor lapped at eagerly from under the table. Harry had taken entirely too many pictures of a very happy birthday boy that he was content to send on to Molly Weasley once they returned home, and Jacob and Draco were contentedly occupying the main couch, leaving the other wizards to summon their own chairs as they sat around and talked amicably or watched television.

Edward and Harry remained in the kitchen to keep an eye on Teddy while they cleaned up slowly. Every so often the dishes were ignored in favor of stolen kisses and just being in each other's arms. The disturbance from earlier was set aside as they teased and talked and kept one another company.  
Finally, Harry wiped down the counter one last time and slung the damp cloth over his shoulder.  
He hoisted himself up onto the countertop and rested his head backward against the cabinets. Edward came up between his legs and stood there, hips to hips with his lover, who closed his eyes.

"hmm," Harry hummed. "I love you."  
"I love you too, Harrison."

"We are going to be working on a creative writing exercise today, class." Mrs. Vicklind's voice rang out through the classroom and the students groaned. "Please take out a sheet of paper, do try to not hand in any of those ridiculous frills from your ripped notebooks, and put your name and the date on top. Today is Friday, April 13th."  
Harry flipped through his notebook looking for a spare piece of paper that wasn't already used up for notes or covered in doodles. He felt a breeze pass his desk and suddenly there was a blank sheet of looseleaf on his desk, just beside his arm. He looked over his shoulder and caught Alice Cullen's eye. She winked at him. "Thanks," he mouthed.

"Your title," Mrs. Vicklind continued, will be '_Breathe_.' Please hand in whatever you have completed at the bell. Get to work!"  
The class began to chatter confusedly.  
"What are we supposed to do with 'Breathe'?" Someone asked from the back of the class.  
"Well, that's why this is creative, isn't it, Damien?" The woman answered as though it were obvious. "I know you are all intelligent men and women here. Let's see what you can come up with, hm?"

Collective groans arose once again and Harry looked around the room for inspiration. Draco was penning something half-assed already while he clutched his phone in his left hand, waiting for a text from his boyfriend. With a sigh, Harry uncapped his pen and wrote "Breathe" on the top of his page and began to write.

Forty-five minutes later the bell rang and the class clamored from the room, slipping their compositions onto a delighted Mrs. Vicklind's desk where she piled them between a bottle of hand sanitizer and a framed picture of her son.

"That was horrible," Harry complained to his slytherin friend as they walked in the hall. "What did you write about?"  
"Swimming," Draco answered proudly.  
"Swimming? The topic was 'Breathe.' " Harry pointed out.

"I know," Draco assured him, nodding. "But your breathing changes when you swim, right? So I just blathered on about how when you're not in the water breathing is your own thing. You can control it. But when you're under water, the water has this power over you. It takes away your ability to decide and eventually forces you to come up to breathe or... well, you know."

Harry eyed him calculatingly. "That sounds... really profound, Draco."  
"Class-A bull shitter, that's me!" The pureblood laughed. "What was yours about?"

"I don't know," Harry began. "It was sort of crappy. I tried to think of what it would be like to live without having to breathe. Like how the Cullens are. I mean, they _can_ breathe, but they don't have to. They just _do_so that they look more normal. Of course, I couldn't talk about that, so it just sounded like a bunch of fantasy crap."

"Yes, well, as long as it was '_creative_,'" Draco said dramatically, swaying his arms in an extravagant mimicry of their teacher. The two of them laughed before realizing that the hallway had become eerily quiet. They turned a corner and found it devoid of the usual slamming lockers and chattering students. Instead, the students that were around were standing against the walls, making a path down the center of the hall. Whispers had broken out and Harry noted that the larger male students had subtly moved themselves to block the shorter females and smaller students.

Harry immediately felt on edge and the two wizards hustled forward until they reached the end of the hall where it turned sharply into a more open foyer. There, Harry ripped his wand from his sleeve and sprinted toward the gathering of people made up of his own guard and several school faculty. On the floor he could make out two shoes and rather large lower legs peeking out from the skirt of a sprawled woman.

"What happened," he demanded as he approached.

Bill Weasley stood up from the gathering on the floor and turned to Harry, his hands were bloody. With the red-head out of the way, Harry could see just who was laying on the ground. It was Mrs. Vicklind, looking remarkably the same as she had been just moments before when Harry and Draco handed her their essays. The only difference was the stark red stain of blood that flowed from a deep slashing wound in her neck, seeping into her blouse and puddling beneath her on the floor. Her eyes were staring up at the ceiling, seeing nothing even as a nurse frantically searched for a pulse. As Harry and Draco looked on members of the guard began their work confounding the muggles, but there would be no memory-wiping. No, a woman was dead, and they couldn't hide that. They would need to contact Kingsley, too. Harry tore his eyes away from the dead, bleeding woman and looked at Draco, who gulped.  
"Draco," he began, but the Slytherin shook his head.

"I'll be right back."

Draco took off back down the hallway they had just come. When an announcement came over the speaker system and demanded that all students seek refuge in the nearest classroom due to a lock-down, he sprinted faster. Finally, he reached the classroom that he had exited not ten minutes earlier and found it a wreck. Desks were upended and papers littered the floor. He approached the woman's desk and picked up a picture frame. The glass was shattered and pieces of it rained down on the desktop as he righted the forever-smiling photograph. Their essays were still there, stacked neatly. He shuffled through them until he came to his own, a few papers in. He tugged it out of the stack along with the next one, Harry's, and was not surprised to find them both tarnished with smeared writing that was not their own.

"_Keep Breathing, Boys. Because She's Not_."

The red script read, and Draco felt bile rise in his throat when he realized it may not be ink.

* * *

_**NOTES:**_ Okay, a few simple things. I don't want this to come off as sounding bratty or anything, but I have a bit to get off my chest.  
1. I received a message from an anonymous reviewer that was very angry about my mentioning gay marriage laws in the UK. Please let me assure you that I have nothing against gay marriage OR the UK. To say that I am bigoted and racist is ridiculous for a number of reasons. Firstly, I plan on moving to England in the near future. If I hated you, would I come to your country? Second, I researched as best I could to find out the laws regarding this issue in the UK and what I found was that the lawful practice is "civil partnerships" not "marriage." If this is untrue, I am very sorry, but I did the best I could. All I can say is that THIS IS A STORY and since the character Billy was very concerned about the issue, it makes sense that he's not exactly in the know about all the details either. I'm Very sorry. Also, saying that I think the USA is so much better is insane because I KNOW that hardly any of our states allow this yet! I was very pleased when my own state, New York passed the law very recently. So chill out, ok? You don't know me, so please don't judge me.  
2. I received another angry review telling me that my grammar and spelling is atrocious, though no specific details were mentioned. When I wrote back to ask for help, thinking, "this person can help me improve! Great!" I was told that I was a problematic racist. Apparently I implied that my reviewer was an ignorant idiot from a third world country. hmm, sorry if I was curious about where you were from. I'm actually really interested in who my story reaches... so when you review, can you tell me where you're from? Not because I'm weird or racist, just because I like how the internet can connect the globe. Cool, huh?

I think people need to calm down a little bit, and remember that these stories are written **for fun**. I have clearly mentioned that no comments I write within my fanfiction reflect my own views. I am quite content to have homo and heterosexual friends, and am just as offended when they are insulted. Also, I write in my own spare time for fun as a way to relax from all the work I do as an English Major at University right now. If my writing is off, it's because I'm not perfect and I don't have a professional editor on hand. Please cut me some slack and don't tell me that I'm an awful person. I don't mean to be. Honestly, it's hurtful and this is the concept known as CYBER-BULLYING.  
**Go ahead, tell me that you dislike my story. **I can improve my writing if you tell me what you dislike and explain how to fix it.** But DO NOT insult me directly, or make hurtful comments about me personally.** That's just rude and frankly, it's what causes problems in society.

Finally, Thanks to everyone for your patience and those of you who left me some really nice messages about my story and about my mom. She is once again finished with treatment and we are just continuing to hope for the best.  
In other news, College Life is AMAZING.

-Peace and Love, and NoH8!


	35. Chapter 35

A/N: Hey everyone! Thanks for the responses to the last chapter! I really appreciate all the support for me and my story! Thanks! I've also had the great chance to talk to some of you about where you're from. Very exciting! This is a short chapter, but it didn't fit at the end of the last one and doesn't really fit anywhere else, so it had to be on it's own. Sorry! Remember (*disclaimer*) I don't own anything!

* * *

_Dear Sirius,_  
_I wish you were here. I have so many new friends these days. Even Malfoy is great. I know you wouldn't ever believe it, but he can even be really funny. I feel like you two actually would have gotten along really great. He's struggling with his past and his family and I know he would have appreciated talking to someone like you, even if he doesn't admit it._

I'm in love, Sirius. I hope you wouldn't have hated me for it but his name is Edward and he makes me feel like I'm the most important thing for once- and not because everyone is expecting me to be someone they need, someone I'm not. He tells me I mean the world to him and I believe that he's sincere when he says it. I don't think you would have condemned me for being gay, Sirius. You always wanted the best for me.

This week has been so hectic, and among all my new friends I still don't think there's anyone I can talk to. Kingsley's sent me to America, to take a break and be a real teenager for once. It was great for a while! I met Edward and Draco's made friends and experienced some bizarre mating thing with a local Indian or... whatever. But now Lucius is out of Azkaban and I just don't want this anymore. He's killing people here because he hasn't had the chance to get us properly yet. Draco and I are attending the funeral for our teacher in a few hours. It was awful, Sirius. Kingsley told us we're not to do any magic at all until he's captured or dead unless we're fighting him. He spent two days confounding muggles and editing security tapes so that everyone thinks the woman had a heart attack, but Lucius slit her throat. He got in polyjuiced as an administrator, and the guard found the real guy unconscious in a supply closet a few hours later. We finally found where he was getting his polyjuice from though. There was some sleezy character, think 'Mundungus Fletcher' but American, producing back-alley potions out of Tallahassee. I don't know if he realized he was helping an escaped convict commit murder. Kingsley had him arrested anyway and he's been under interrogation for a few days. We haven't heard from Lucius again since the murder last Friday, and before that he approached us disguised as some old woman. He killed her too.

Why am I so unlucky, Sirius? I'm glad I've got Edward at least. Trust me, he won't be leaving me anytime soon. The only thing that can get him is an unforgivable, and I won't let that happen again. I don't know what I would do if Edward stopped loving me.   
_I wish you were here, Sirius. I've fought this battle once already. Could you do me a favor and have a chat with the Big Guy upstairs? I'm not so sure if I even believe in God, but maybe we could arrange a smiting from the heavens or something. I wouldn't mind Lucius being taken out by a random bolt of lightening. If that didn't kill him, the irony would.  
_  
_I hope it's good... where ever you are. Say hi to my parents and Remus for me._  
_Love, Harry._

Harry read over the letter, smiling in some places and feeling horribly sad in others. He tossed the paper onto his desk and stared out the window for a while. Edward was hunting with Jasper to get his fill before attending the funeral. He would be back soon. Harry spun around mindlessly in his chair and then wandered over to Anaklusmos' tank to check on her. He wondered if his boyfriend would be bringing back another meal for the snake this time. Harry hated when Edward brought live things back to the room. He preferred to procure dead mice with magic and drop them in with Ana than watching her subdue the struggling things that Edward treated her to. Without his magic, though, he resorted to the vampire's winnings. He reached into the tank and stroked the glinting scales, reveling in the watery warmth of their texture. Ana hissed lazily, and he replied in kind. Retracting his hand he replaced the tank's lid and went back to his desk. He rummaged in a drawer for a bit and then found a pack of matches. He struck one, lighting it, and then dropped it on the wood floor where it hissed and continued to flame. He picked up the letter he had written and read the name on it one more time: '_Dear Sirius,'.  
_Then he dropped it atop the flickering match and watched it catch fire. The ink ran and blurred as the heat from the flames consumed it. Then, the paper curled and turned a smoky black before disintegrating in a smudge of ash.

Harry nudged Draco as the pureblood yawned for the second time. Draco looked properly chastised and covered his mouth with his hand. He then turned his wrist over and subtly looked at his watch.

The sound of heavy sobs and mourning drifted back to them from where it originated at the front of the church. A balding, underweight and saggy-faced priest spoke in sweeping tones about a motherly woman who taught, loved and lived with all her being, and the tragedy of a life cut short.

They were words that Harry recognized all to clearly, although wizarding ceremonies lacked the religious rhetoric that was in place here. He recalled Colin Creevey's funeral. That one had been done in the muggle style, as the Creevey family was devoutly catholic. It had been awful. The lies and secrecy among muggles who knew nothing of the cause for which their friend, nephew, cousin, neighbor had died for. Harry remembered turning away from the tear-streaked face of a milkman, a heartbroken father that Harry was too cowardly to talk to. He remembered the phrase "hit and run," being murmured among the funeral-goers at Colin's service.  
"It's the truth," he had thought to himself. The death eater that offed Colin didn't stop for him- maybe didn't even know that the light had left the eyes of the fifteen year old. He was just another obstacle. A hit and run.

"Amen," the congregation intoned.  
"Amen," Harry and Draco murmured a beat behind.

Then there was singing, and the heavy sort of breathing that means the tears have dried up but the body is still trying to grieve. A mahogany box, draped in a white cloth of innocence, carried upon the shoulders of a widower and his son and a few other gentlemen. When the procession passed the last row, Edward turned around from the pew in front of Harry and offered a sort of half smile.

"You okay?" he asked softly.  
"Yeah," Harry answered.

The entire Cullen coven was in attendance at the church, a fact Draco hadn't missed the opportunity to snort at. Harry had hit him then, too. _"Shut it, Draco. I don't need to remind you of your own sins."  
_  
The Cullens took up the row on their own, outshining all present there with their elegant appearance. They hardly ever entered the public as a group such as this, but given the circumstances they were yet to be disturbed by the entirety of Forks.

"What about Alice?" Harry asked in return. He had seen the lithe vampire bury her face a few times into the shoulder of her mate, Jasper.

"She's saddened, understandably," Edward reported. "It pains me to admit that she has been doing a bit of acting though. Death is not such a rare or sudden event for us, you see. We are quite used to losing friends by now. Mourning is a human emotion."

Harry narrowed his eyes at that assessment, which Edward did not fail to notice.  
"We will talk about it later, okay?" he promised quietly. "Were you planning on going to the cemetery?"  
"No." Harry knew that he had no place at the burial. It was private, for family, regardless of his guilt in the death of the woman.  
"Let's go then."  
Edward gracefully extricated himself from the row of his family members and met Harry in the aisle of the church. Nearly the entire school was in attendance at the funeral. This was fortunate because it seemed Mrs. Vicklind had had a very small family. They passed by many of their classmates and teachers on their way out, and did their part of nodding solemnly in greeting. Draco led the way out of the large wooden doors and they stood awkwardly on the steps while the casket was loaded into a hearse that waited at the curb. It was drizzling.

"Shall we go have lunch?" The blond asked when the procession of cars was gone at last. The three men set off down the sidewalk toward a large parking lot where the Lotus Evora was parked.  
"Honestly, Draco. Have some respect for the dead." Harry snapped. "Yawning and checking your watch through the service, why, so you could get to your boyfriend a little sooner? You know it's our fault the woman is dead. If we hadn't come here..." he faltered.  
"You could at least be a little bit-"

"Don't you _dare_ accuse me of being apathetic," Draco said heatedly, though without raising his voice.  
"As for respecting the dead, I see no reason to. I respected her as an instructor in her life: what will my respect do for her now, hmm? And this is _not_ our fault. That's always been your problem, Harry. You take far too much responsibility for whatever you shouldn't have to deal with. _Lucius killed her_, Harry. Not you, not me. I know what it's like to be responsible for a death, don't think I've forgotten. And I mourned then. I don't have to do it again." He spun on his booted heel and bypassed the car to take off toward the street.

"Where are you going, Draco?" Harry demanded.  
"I'm walking home, as we're not allowed to apparate anymore and I need a break from you!" Malfoy retorted.

The rain picked up slightly and the damp began to soak through Draco's thin button down shirt, making the black material look shiny and reflective.  
"Don't be stupid, Draco, get in the car," Harry sighed.  
"No."  
"Get in the fucking car, Draco, or I'll have Krum and Bill _carry_ you home."  
"You're not my father, Potter."  
Draco still refused to look at the two. Edward leaned gently against the side of the car, watching.  
"Damn good thing, too." Harry bit out. "Because he's a fucking lunatic, isn't he? Excellent role model he turned out to be. Now get in the car before he shows up and you're stuck here on your own." Harry's angry tone bounced off the trees that bordered the lot and echoed around them.

"The guard is all around here anyway, Harry," Draco finally responded after a minute. "They can't stop him if he wants to show up, haven't you realized that yet? Maybe I _want_him to find me. And when he does, I'll kill him. I'll kill him for ruining my life." Draco's fists clenched at his sides and he shook the hair angrily out of his face when it dripped into his eyes.

"That's great, Draco. But not today, okay? Come on, let's go get lunch and you can meet Jacob." Harry coaxed. He'd rather his friend be safe than continue their argument. He unlocked the car and stood there waiting with the door open. Finally, the pureblood turned back to them and trudged to the vehicle.

"I'm still pissed at you, Potter," Draco informed them as they drove away. "I just don't want to be in the rain anymore and we can't do magic so..."

"Sure Draco. Oh and by the way, you have something else in common with Edward. He doesn't mourn either. It's too human for him," Harry said scathingly.

Edward looked startled by his tone. "Calm down," he said exasperatedly. "You have no idea what it's like to have lived this long. _People die, _Harrison." he said firmly, with conviction. "It happens. As for mourning, is it really death that makes one sad? Or is it the response that one has to death that makes it a sad event? You can choose to let it affect you or not, and sometimes you just become... Numb." The vampire reached for his boyfriend's hand where it rested on the center console between them. Harry moved it away and gripped the steering wheel with both hands.  
"Harry!"  
"Oh, I'm_ sorry_." Harry said sarcastically. "I'm too busy being 'affected' by the death of my muggle teacher. Sorry for being so weak and human. You don't need to comfort me," He finished bitterly.

Draco wished desperately for a silencing charm as he witnessed the lover's spat brewing.

"When did I ever say that grief was a weakness, Harry?" Edward spoke firmly and loudly, shocking Draco.  
"Because if that is something that I insinuated then I am deeply apologetic but you are entirely in the wrong! I _envy _you, Harrison, is that what you want to hear? It's the truth. I envy that you have this love, this purity, this, this _soul_within you that allows you to grieve. I want that!" he finished desperately.

Harry wouldn't look at him. He narrowed his eyes as he pulled off the main road and turned on to their street. "You could have it," he said flatly. "If you wanted anything bad enough then you can have it. You just have to try and stop pitying yourself and pretending that you have nothing to live for."

"What _do_I have, Harry?" Edward continued in the face of the wizard's stubborn statement. "I have cravings and bloodlust and instinct and that's it! Even you! I wonder sometimes if this is love, or just some urge, some instinct that tells me you're my mate and I need you! Is that love? What do I have, Harrison?"

Harry put the car in park stiffly and Draco caught the look on his face, wishing he hadn't. The boy who lived looked utterly shattered. The gryffindor unbuckled himself and opened his door. He stood there for a second, staring into Edward's desperate face. After a beat he spoke.

"Fuck you," he said quietly, fighting to keep his voice even. Draco could hear the tears gathered in the back of his throat. "_Fuck. You._ Edward Cullen."  
The car door slammed shut and Harry was racing up the steps of the garage into the main level of the house.

Draco felt immensely awkward, sitting in the backseat and watching the vampire sit unnaturally still, staring after the wizard.

"What do I do now?" Edward asked miserably to the car's only other passenger.  
Draco sighed. He _hated _playing counselor.  
"Well, what are you feeling right now?"  
"Awful," Edward responded without missing a beat.

"It's heartbreak," Draco confirmed. "You hurt him, and it hurts you to know that you did it. Instinct can't do that for you. As for souls, well, I've seen the soul-less. You know about the dementors, if I recall correctly?"  
Edward nodded.  
"They suck out souls." Draco said gruffly. "You become this shell, this..." he gestured with his hands. "Have you ever seen a chrysalis? One day it's rich and full- it's got this _life_ working within it... And the next day, it's dry and crumbled and hollow... and empty. That's the way my mother is now. And that's _nothing_like what you are."

The vampire continued to stare, and Draco wondered if he imagined the flicker of hope that dashed behind his bronze eyes.

"I've got a soul?" he asked the Slytherin quietly.  
Draco gave him an encouraging clasp on the shoulder.  
"I'm sure of it."

* * *

Note: Please stay tuned! I will update when possible :)


	36. Chapter 36

**A/N: Hi everyone, I know it's been a ridiculously long time... but here I am again! I hope this chapter doesn't turn anyone off the story, but it's something that I've been planning for a while. Here ya go! Oh, and since it's been so long, here's a reminder of what happened last time...**

* * *

_"Fuck you," he said quietly, fighting to keep his voice even. Draco could hear the tears gathered in the back of his throat. "Fuck. You. Edward Cullen."_

_The car door slammed shut and Harry was racing up the steps of the garage into the main level of the house._

_Draco felt immensely awkward, sitting in the backseat and watching the vampire sit unnaturally still, staring after the wizard._

_"What do I do now?" Edward asked miserably to the car's only other passenger._  
_Draco sighed. He hated playing counselor._  
_"Well, what are you feeling right now?"_  
_"Awful," Edward responded without missing a beat._

_"It's heartbreak," Draco confirmed. "You hurt him, and it hurts you to know that you did it. Instinct can't do that for you. As for souls, well, I've seen the soul-less. You know about the dementors, if I recall correctly?"_  
_Edward nodded._  
_"They suck out souls." Draco said gruffly. "You become this shell, this..." he gestured with his hands. "Have you ever seen a chrysalis? One day it's rich and full- it's got this life working within it... And the next day, it's dry and crumbled and hollow... and empty. That's the way my mother is now. And that's nothinglike what you are."_

_The vampire continued to stare, and Draco wondered if he imagined the flicker of hope that dashed behind his bronze eyes._

_"I've got a soul?" he asked the Slytherin quietly._  
_Draco gave him an encouraging clasp on the shoulder._  
_"I'm sure of it."_

* * *

Edward knocked again on the solid door in front of him. He would stand there all night if he had to, calling softly to the wizard just beyond the barrier between them.  
Harry hadn't bothered to erect wards or enchantments to lock himself inside, knowing that Edward could pass straight through them. He had simply turned the lock and left it at that before curling tightly into a ball on his mattress and closing his eyes tightly to keep any errant tears at bay. Edward hadn't come through the window, though he could have. He hadn't pushed through the door, despite the simplicity of it. Instead, he stood in the hallway- knocking gently and calling brokenly, waiting for an invitation to enter rather than implanting himself where he was unwanted.

The vampire lowered his hand again, waiting out the twenty minute interval between tries that he had established a few hours ago now. He was nothing if not persistent, Carlisle had once told him. Stubbornness was a quality that he and Harry both shared. He was taken aback when a swift _snap_ distorted the air before him and the small elf Kreacher appeared, muttering.

"Master Harry wishes Kreacher to inform the undead-human that he should go hunt for an hour or so," the being croaked softly, speaking to the floor. "Once he has fed, he may return through Master Harry's window..."

Edward felt something swoop in his stomach- happiness or hope, or some combination of the two.

"Thank you," he breathed softly to the air, grateful to Harry, the elf, and for the chance he was apparently receiving.

"...as long as he as an excuse good enough for his behavior." Kreacher finished.

Edward stared hard at the door, wondering about the thoughts that swirled within the mind beyond it.  
"What excuse is good enough?" he asked aloud.

Kreacher snapped his fingers and a rag appeared in his hand. He then stooped to his creaking knees and began to scrub at the muddy shoeprints that Edward had paced into the cream hallway carpet.  
"Kreacher does not know," the elf stated unhelpfully. "The vampire should be hunting now. Kreacher must clean."

Edward ran a hand over his face, wondering how dark his eyes could be after just feeding that morning. Then again, stress made him thirsty. "Hunting. Okay." And he was off in a blast of cool air that ruffled the cloth around Kreacher's waist.

"Silly vampire beast," he croaked to himself. "It is demented to think Master Harry will not forgive. Master Harry forgives Kreacher, and Kreacher served for Master Regulus." He scrubbed a particular stain more harshly, then waggled his fingers to vanish the suds produced, leaving the carpet pristine as he moved on down the hall to continue his chores.

Edward turned his attention minutely to the left, following a soft rustle in the young saplings that littered the ground. He sprung with a flourish and came to a crisp land several feet away with a hand trapping a hare to the ground. Holding it firmly around its middle he gently stretched the rabbit, tilting its head backward and exposing an expanse of soft brown fur that pulsed with a rapid heartbeat. He made quick work of the meal and then laid the cooling body beside a rock and set off again at an inhuman rate. He didn't need much, just enough to take the edge off so that he could concentrate on the conversation he would have with Harry. The wizard said often that he didn't mind that Edward needed to stay sated before they could spend time together, but Edward knew there wasn't much more unattractive than literally salivating over one's boyfriend… if he still had a boyfriend.  
The impending conversation weighed heavily on his shoulders as he climbed a tree and settled himself between the V of its split trunk. He needed to somehow show Harry that he never intended to call their relationship into doubt. Instinct or not, he belonged with that wizard. It was meant to be, and that was enough for him to call it love. But to prove that he believed in their love, he would need to do something- _say _something that made his promise more concrete. Something that would tell Harry that he had no intention of leaving his side, ever. Edward heaved an unnecessary sigh, letting his head curl to his chest as he thought. The realization came to him slowly, as if he were waking up from a long period of sleep. His decision made, he was off again as quick as a flash in the direction of his own home, not slowing or stopping until he launched his way through the open panel of his bedroom wall and landed gracefully on the cool hardwood floor.  
He rummaged through a drawer that was stashed beneath a study desk until he pulled out a worn, ivory-colored envelope. Edward stood silently in his bedroom and pricked his ears for the sound of his family nearby. They must still be out, as the house sounded mercifully empty. He ran a hand through his hair and gripped the back of his neck in a self-comforting gesture as he felt the slight weight of the material in his hand. He sat down on a chair. Without further hesitation he slipped his finger beneath the flap and cracked the seal of the envelope for the first time in more than a century.

Harry was still lying in his bed when his watch alerted him that an hour was up. He rolled over, padded across the floor and threw the latch on the window before shoving it open by an inch. In that same unfortunate moment, a gust of wind blew through the air, spraying some of the steady downpour of rain into the house and splattering the wizard's shirt. With a curse, he waved his wand at the spot and felt his clothes return to warm and dry. He then berated himself for that small bit of magic that could cost them their location.

"It never ceases to amaze me." the melodious voice that he knew so well drifted in from the window ledge. Harry wished he could squash the butterflies that erupted in his gut. He considered responding with a biting retort but there was nothing on the tip of his tongue.  
He turned away from the window, leaving Edward to stare at his back.

"May I come in?" the vampire enquired.  
"I can't stop you," Harry said quietly.  
"Yes you can. Say the word and I won't bother you."

The wizard felt his blood boil and he spun around in a rage. "Would you stop acting so high and mighty all the time? I opened the bloody window for you, didn't I? Don't pretend you're doing me some great service by being the loving, careful, compassionate boyfriend that gives me space when I need it." His eyes flashed angrily, still moist from the tears he was shedding not too much earlier.  
"I'm sorry-  
"I don't want to hear it."  
"Then I'll go-  
"No!"  
"What do you want from me?" Edward asked, genuinely perplexed and exasperated by the wizard's behavior. "I'm sorry, Harrison. I don't understand what you want. You say you don't want to hear what I have to say, but you don't want me to leave, yet you don't seem thrilled about my presence here either."

The Gryffindor swiped his sleeve across his face and straightened his back.  
"Oh, so I should be thrilled to have you back here?" he quipped snidely. "You want me to sob in happiness that you've come back? It's bad enough that I get all _human _over you, I thought you would hate it if I were suddenly a blubbering _girl_ too."  
He thought bitterly of Cho with her constant stream of waterworks and swiped his sleeve across his face again.

Edward swung his legs into the room and slid his way down until his feet touched the carpet. He raised a hand and pointed accusingly at his boyfriend. "You're being really obnoxious right now, and I don't have to deal with it. This is completely irrational behavior."

Something in Harry snapped. He drew his wand and threw a stinging hex at the tall figure before him as he shouted.  
"There is _nothing_ irrational about this! We've been dating for _months, _I've told you _everything_ and-"  
"_Everything?"_ Edward scoffed.  
"Fuck you, Edward. I've told you everything I could and it's not like you don't still have your secrets."

"Secrets? You want to know my secrets?" Edward took a step forward threateningly, seeming to tower over Harry with his solid form.  
"How about the fact that for the last hundred years or so I've been contemplating the most convenient way of destroying myself? How about I tell you that those thoughts only stopped haunting me so often when you showed up and I realized that there was something, no, some_one _that actually made me feel like I was worth something, and that this existence was worth surviving through. How about that I have been convinced for decades that all of this is futile? That I'm doomed to hell and there's nothing left for me. There's no solution, no forgiveness, just living through hell, putting everyone else through hell, and then remaining forever soul-less in absolute nothingness! Until very recently, that's all I thought that I had going for me, Harrison. And then you. You came along, with your secrets and _God _you're incredible and all I want is to be able to be with you forever but I felt like that was never going to happen because I'm _hell _and only recently I'm beginning to think that that's not the case anymore. I'm beginning to think that we have a chance, but only if you'll give it to me."

Harry didn't respond for a while. Then he looked Edward in the eye and asked, "and what made you begin to think differently?"

Edward reached out and cupped Harry's jaw in the palm of his hand. "I hurt you," he said quietly. "I doubted our relationship and it shattered my heart. I talked to Draco about dementors and the soul-less. I- I've got a soul, Harry. And even though I don't have a heartbeat and this is all sorts of fucked up, I love you. And it's not just instinct or whatever I said. I have a soul and it helps me love you and I don't want to lose you or chase you away."

Harry breathed deeply, then turned his head and placed a kiss on Edward's palm. "I love you too. I'm just so angry and that hurt so much to hear you say, that I don't know if I-"

"Let me prove it to you," Edward interrupted. "Let me show you that I promise to always be here for you, for as long as you want me." He pulled away and reached into the pocket of his jacket.

Then, keeping his eyes locked on Harry's, he presented a small velvet pouch and lowered himself to one knee.  
"Edward," Harry warned in a tremulous voice. "Don't you do this to me."  
"Please, let me." The vampire answered. "I just… Harrison James Potter, you mean the world to me. I've been looking for you forever and I didn't even know it until you were suddenly here and turning my world on end. I know we are very different, but you are so beautiful and good and amazing and you don't even realize that about yourself."

Harry knotted both his hands into his own hair and turned away slightly, speechless as he shook his head.

Edward gently tipped the velvet pouch into his palm and a simple silver ring tipped forth into his grasp. It was a gentleman's ring- finely, gently crafted yet thick and sturdy-looking.  
"This doesn't have to mean what you think it means," Edward said quietly. "It's only a promise, and kind of a possessive thing to. I want you to be mine, Harry, and I don't want us to be ashamed or afraid of admitting it to ourselves or to anyone else. I love you, and I'm not going to deny it ever again. I swear it." He proffered the ring to his boyfriend and waited without moving or breathing.

Finally, "Have you been planning this?"  
"I won't lie, I never took myself seriously in daydreaming about it until about twenty minutes ago, but yes I have thought about it before."  
"Why?"  
"Because I love you, and you shouldn't let the people you love escape. Carlisle taught me that. It's why he rescued Esme. Why Rosalie rescued Emmett."  
"I don't need to be rescued."

"Believe me, I know that. I'm not trying to patronize you, Harry. I truly and honestly want you to know that_ I know_ I was wrong, and I plan on working harder in the future to not be so negative about things in this existence."

Harry reached down and clasped his hand around one of Edward's wrists, gently tugging him upward to stand facing him.  
"You can start there," he said lightly. "It's okay to say 'in my life' or whatever. Please stop censoring yourself to make you believe that you're less than what you deserve to be."  
Edward nodded. "I promise." He leaned down and kissed Harry gently, giving him ample warning time to pull away if the contact was unwanted. The kiss was returned though, soft and warm.  
"Will you wear the ring?" Edward asked quietly when they broke apart.  
"Yeah," Harry breathed. "I'll wear it."

When Draco came downstairs the next morning for breakfast, he was surprised to see that not only was Harry dry-eyed and whistling, but that Edward was in fact in one piece and was sitting at the table watching Teddy eat.

"Good morning, Draco" the couple chorused happily, then they grinned at one another.  
"Er, 'morning," he responded hesitantly. "So you patched things up, I'm assuming? Everything's good?"

"Yup, everything's good," Harry assured him. He swept away from the stove and slapped a plate of pancakes down in front of the pureblood. He then ruffled Teddy's hair (yellow today) and kissed Edward just below the jawline before drifting back toward the sink.

"It's always so glaringly obvious the next morning whenever you two have done anything remotely sexual, you know." Draco said sardonically.  
Harry sputtered. "Excuse me?"

Edward couldn't help but grin a bit and didn't make eye contact with the blonde.  
"Please, Harry. You're practically whistling Dixie- or at least just whistling. And you've given Teddy jam with his breakfast. You wouldn't give him that unless you were in an exceptionally good mood and willing to deal with the resultant mess of sticky child. Merlin, just tattoo it on your forehead next time, won't you?" he snickered and shoveled a mouthful of pancakes as he watched Harry turn a bright red.

"Just wait 'til Weasley sees you two. Or are you tragically breaking apart this sordid affair before we return home?"  
"Actually, we talked about that a lot last night," Edward began smoothly. "Harry and I have decided that I will accompany you all back to England when your stay here is done." He reached out and gently rubbed Teddy's face, removing the traces of jam that were steadily making their way up his nose. "I don't plan on leaving him. Ever, really."

Draco pursed his lips. "And how do you suppose you'll accomplish this, Potter? The media, the ministry, _your friends_ who, might I remind you- don't even know you're gay?"

The boy who lived swung a dish rag over his shoulder and joined them at the table. He rested his hands on the tabletop and twisted his fingers together. "I'm not really positive how it will all work out yet. But maybe you should focus on your own self before delving into my business, ok? I'm going to make things work with Edward. Just like I know you'll do whatever it takes to stay with Jacob."

Draco nodded. "Yeah, okay. Speaking of Jake, I-"  
His phone buzzed. "There. I was waiting for his call. I'll see you later." He excused himself from the table to take his call elsewhere.

The wizard met his boyfriend's eye from across the tabletop. "Do you think he..?" Harry began  
"Yes, I noticed, Potter!" Draco's voice floated from another room. "Do please let me be there when you tell Molly Weasley you've got a ring on your finger!"

* * *

A/N: Yes, yes, I know. Super short update after all this time. I really just needed something to throw myself back into this. I once thought "wow, when I get to college I'm going to have all the time in the world to write fanfiction." Let me tell you, kiddies... WRONG. If and when I have free time, I much prefer to be sleeping or reading than putting effort into writing. That being said, I am almost done with my freshman year of school. Can't believe I started this fic at age 15 and now I'm completing my first year at university! It's crazy. Anyhoo, thanks for sticking with me thus far. I've still got more to come so stay tuned! -darkestAngel13


	37. Chapter 37

A/N: So, I kind of suck at updating on time. Here's the next chapter. *Disclaimer, I don't own anything.*  
Also, in response to the uproar about stories being deleted... if this should happen to my story I will **not** be making an account on another site. I will attempt to republish here, under the same name. My story should be safe from being deleted, because the m-content hasn't been too overwhelming (in my opinion). Hope you enjoy this chapter! Read and Review :)

* * *

_Saturday, May 1__st_

Draco panted and shook his fringe out of his eyes. He placed a gentle kiss on Jacob's bare hip, then rested his cheek there. He felt his boyfriend's warm fingers brush through his light hair gratefully and the wizard smiled in contentment.

"So," he began. He cleared his throat and started again. "So, there's this big dance at my school in about two weeks. I guess it's sort of a big deal."  
Jacob sat up against his headboard and tugged Draco up to lay beside him, tucking him perfectly against his chest. "The prom?"  
"Yes."  
"What about it?"  
"It's… nevermind."

"Draco Malfoy, if you want me to come to prom with you, just ask." The Quileute's voice rumbled jokingly.

Draco huffed. "Fine. Yes, I was wondering if you would accompany me to the prom."

Jacob clicked his tongue in thought. "You know you'd be coming out to the school, right?"

Draco kissed his way up Jacob's stomach until he rested his head in the crook of his boyfriend's neck. "Babe, in the last few months I've seen my father again, lost a duel, lost you, got you back, attended the funeral for a woman that would still be alive if I had won that duel, and I bought several new short-sleeved shirts."

"Mmhmm, I noticed." The werewolf grinned appreciatively as he ran his hand over Draco's lithe but firm biceps and forearms.

Draco ignored him. "All I'm saying is that it's been shit, but I'm still getting more comfortable all the time and if I want to spend a night dancing to awful muggle music with my gorgeous boyfriend, I will not let bigots get in my way."

Jacob smiled and squeezed his grip a bit. "Yeah, I'll go with you. Is there a theme?"

Draco snorted. _"Dungeons and Dragons._We're expected to dress accordingly."

"Do you expect me to wear scales?" Jacob asked sardonically.  
Draco answered, "Hm- I don't think it would be the best look with your complexion. Harry and I decided we would wear our dress robes. They're formal, but wizarding wear is very similar to what you would consider middle ages. I can have you a set tailored and owled in if you wish."

"Sure, just let me know how much it costs."  
"_Don't_ be stupid."  
"Dray, I—"  
Draco rolled over so he was lying beside his boyfriend and locked their eyes. "Why do you repeatedly insist that I not pay for things?"

Jacob rested his large hands on the pureblood's lower back and rubbed gentle circles there with his thumbs. "I just… I don't want anyone to get the impression that I'm…" he mumbled something nearly incomprehensible but Draco caught the gist of it.

"Having money or paying for a date or outfit or ticket to the prom does not assert someone's masculinity, Jacob." He said quietly. "I'm gay. I like _men._ If I thought anything different, I wouldn't be here now would I?" He lowered his voice a fraction more, so that it came out partly as a hum, deeper in his chest. "And trust me- I don't need any more assurance of your _manhood_." He rolled his hips a bit, pressing down to create a delicious friction and reminding his boyfriend of their earlier activities.

Draco smirked at the hitch in his boyfriend's breath and tilted his head upward to accept the kiss that was offered to him.  
"Dray?" Jacob whispered.  
"hm?"  
"Can I have a pair of boots too? Like yours?"  
"Sure, Babe."  
Jake slipped his fingers beneath the band of Draco's boxers at the base of his back and gently massaged the muscle there, earning another hum from the pureblood.

There was a knock at the door and Draco quickly sat up, pushing himself away from the Quileute. With a flick of his wrist they were both properly dressed and appeared cool and collected. Jake popped an earbud into his right ear and fitted the other piece into Draco's left, fiddling with his iPod in his other hand. "Yeah, dad?" he called.  
The door swung open and Billy wheeled his way in, eyeing the room as though he expected to find a pair of underpants slung across his pathway.

"You need something, Billy?" Jake asked him

"Uh, no, Son. I just noticed Draco's bike out front and thought I'd come see how you were doing."

Jacob didn't even bother to hide his look of 'are you kidding me?' from his father. "We're fine, see you later," he said pointedly.

Billy sucked on his teeth, making a "tsch," sound. He nodded. "What are you listening to?"

"_Music,_Dad." Jacob widened his eyes at his father in a "go away, seriously," look.

Billy ignored the hint and shuffled his chair back and forth a bit. "You seen much of the Cullens lately?" He voiced the question to either of the two.

Draco smirked and exchanged an amused look out of the corner of his eye with Jacob. "Yes, Mr. Black. He spends the night at my place rather frequently."

Billy's face darkened. "I figured as much. Jacob, you and Sam and the others are to keep an eye on that pale-face, you hear? He's painting a mighty fine line along the bylaws of our people."

"_Dad,"_ Jake whined. "I _know. _Now go _away."_

"Yeah, Son. I know." He spun his chair with ease and made to leave. "You staying for dinner, Draco?" he asked on his way out.

"No, Sir. It's my turn to cook tonight at home." He shifted his way off the bed and pulled his boyfriend with him. "I've got to go now, actually, with Teddy on a schedule and all. Walk me out, Jacob."

They bypassed Billy's chair when the hallway widened near the entryway and they stood outside the front door under the porch awning while a light mist fell. Draco noticed the buds of several new flowers beginning to open in Billy's garden box.

"April showers bring May flowers," he said in a sing-songy voice as he pointed them out.

Jacob grinned. "And you know what they say May flowers bring, right?"

Draco tilted his head. "No, what?"

_"Pilgrims,"_ Jake joked, waiting expectantly for his boyfriend to laugh. "Get it? Because The _Mayflower _brought pilgrims to… no?" He trailed off while Draco stared blankly at him. "I guess it's an American joke," Jake finished lamely.

Draco snorted. "Or just a muggle one."

Jacob's shoulders slumped significantly.

"Not that that's bad!" Draco rushed to say. "We're just different! It's a different culture, language, history." he huffed in frustration.  
"Okay, how about this: A blind wizard walks into a pub. He says to the barkeep, 'Want to hear a Hufflepuff joke?' The pub goes completely silent. The barkeep says, 'Sir, I am a Hufflepuff. I'm used to handling a rough crowd alone. I have my wand drawn. The wizard to your left is an auror with his wand drawn. He too is a Hufflepuff. The witch on your right has her wand drawn. She is a dueling champion and also a Hufflepuff. Are you absolutely certain you want to tell that Hufflepuff joke?'  
The blind wizard says, 'Gods no! Not if I'm going to have to explain it three times!'" Draco cracked up as he finished the punchline. Jacob stared at him.

"You're right. We're completely different." The Quileute deadpanned. He slung an arm around the pureblood's shoulder and pulled him close to his side.

"I guess we'll just have to spend more time together," Draco sighed as if the concept were hugely inconvenient.  
Jacob grinned. "You love me."  
"I know I do."

* * *

Harry grabbed a box of rice from a shelf and handed it to Teddy, who was sitting in the child's seat of the shopping cart. The boy happily took it and shook it with both hands, enjoying the sound it made. Pushing the cart further along the aisle, Harry racked his memory for what other things they needed from the supermarket. Edward had suggested he make a list, but the wizard had assured him that he could shop without it. Now he wished he had written down what the refrigerator was running low on. Speak of the devil, the vampire was suddenly by his side again, placing three gallons of milk into the cart.

"'Dard," Teddy pointed at him, shaking the box some more.  
"Hello again, Ted," Edward responded. "Anything else you need from dairy or produce?" he asked his boyfriend.  
They found this method of shopping to be quickest and easiest on Teddy, who disliked shopping for long periods of time. Harry would stroll the basic aisles for staple ingredients and goods while Edward would zip around gathering fruits, vegetables, sandwich meat and the like.

"Er,"  
"You don't remember, do you?" Edward smiled cheekily.

Harry refrained from pushing his boyfriend, conscious of Teddy mimicking his every move lately. "I know that I'm missing something, but I just can't remember what," he admitted.

Edward's grin grew. "Luckily, this is why you have a brilliant fiance who knows what's best for you," he taunted as he slipped a piece of paper from his pocket. "Let's see…" He compared the contents of their cart to the list of requests from the inhabitants of the safehouse.  
"Draco wants a sugar cereal," he mentioned with a raised eyebrow.

Harry snorted. "No, _Jacob_wants a sugar cereal for when he sleeps over," he clarified.

Edward's smile was positively Slytherin. "Let me pick it out," he said.

Harry rolled his eyes but allowed the cart to be taken from his grasp while Edward gently turned them toward the breakfast cereal aisle. The vampire then proceeded to pick each and every dog-themed cereal brand available and pile them atop the already packed cart.  
When the final box was squeezed in beside Teddy, who glared at the invasion of his space, Edward made to roll the cart away again.

"Wait!" Harry grabbed a box of simple Chex.  
"That's not a sugar cereal," Edward pointed out. "And I sort of had a theme going here, if you hadn't noticed." He gestured at the canine-themed boxes.

Harry laughed. "I noticed. I just thought we might make some Puppy Chow for a snack later or something. Teddy will like it."

"Puppy Chow?"

"Yeah, Dudley used to scarf it by the handful. I could make it by the time I was 4. It's a mix of chocolate and peanut butter covered Chex, all shaken up in powdered sugar."

Edward raised an eyebrow skeptically. "And this is called _Puppy _Chow?"

"Yes."

"Let's make it."

On the car ride back, Edward suddenly interrupted a nonsensical song that Teddy was babbling.  
"Wait," he said slowly.

"Hm?" Harry looked at him briefly before returning his eyes to the road.

"There is no way all of those groceries fit into this car. The physics of it just doesn't work out."

Harry grinned. "You're just now realizing this?"

Edward laughed but brought up his hands defensively. "Well, let's be honest- when you first allowed me to believe that the car is simply more spacious than it appears, I wasn't exactly expecting you to be a wizard."

Harry grabbed one of his hands and squeezed it playfully. "Yes, Dear. There are expansion charms on the boot of the car."

Teddy giggled from the backseat and Edward turned around to make a silly face at him. He then thought aloud: "Why didn't you bother to expand the backseat too? It's so cramped!"

Harry shrugged, turning onto the driveway and clicking a button to raise the garage door. "Didn't want to be too conspicuous."

When they entered the kitchen, Edward zipping in and out of the house to settle the numerous bags on the table while Harry slowly made his way while holding onto Teddy's fingers to help the little boy walk, the wizard quickly got the vibe that something was off. This notion was supported by the fact that it was past suppertime and nothing was being cooked, nor was the air thick with the smell of a just-made meal. With a gusty sigh he called for Kreacher and passed Teddy into the house elf's care. Then, he took the stairs two at a time up to the guard's quarters. Halfway up he was joined by his boyfriend, who rested a cool hand on his lower back. Dedalus, along with Krum and a few other men were ready to greet them.

"What happened?" Harry asked without hesitation.

"Perhaps you should ask Mr. Malfoy," Dedalus answered softly. The Gryffindor bit his lip, but reading the emotion in Diggle's eyes he decided to follow this suggestion.

"Okay," he said. He turned and directed himself toward Draco's room, where he knocked. When he didn't receive a response he opened the door slowly, not being resisted.

Draco was sitting on the edge of his bed, his eyes red with tears that wouldn't be shed. He glanced up when the Gryffindor let himself in, then covered his face with a hand.

"What happened?"  
"I hate him."  
"Jacob?"  
"No, my father."

Harry gasped. "Did you see him?"  
Draco shuddered a sigh. "No, but he… he left me a message."  
"Where? How? Draco, _what happened?"  
_  
"He burned down Jacob's house, Harry! He almost killed them! And I was… God, it's all my fault. I was there, and then I'm on my way home and Jake calls me freaking out and coughing and…" Harry wrapped a comforting arm around his shoulder.

"Okay, okay. Let's calm a bit. Where are Jake and his dad?"

"They're at Sam's house. They'll be safe for a while because the guard did some charmwork to cover it up. They also made it look like the fire was caused by the oven."

"What message did Lucius leave for you?"

Draco steeled himself. "The dark mark," he bit out.  
Harry rubbed Draco's arm firmly. "Okay and most importantly, how did he find the reservation?"  
Draco positively paled. "I did magic," he admitted.  
"Draco!"  
"I know! But we were, you know, and then Billy was coming and I just-"

"Draco Malfoy, you risked people's _lives _so you didn't get caught with your trousers down? You have got to be kidding me!"

"I'm sorry! You don't think I don't know how that feels? I almost killed my boyfriend because I was too stupid to listen to the rules."

"shhh," Harry shushed as the pureblood became hysterical.

"We'll catch him, Dray. Soon, I promise. And no one else is going to die. Not because of him. And no one is to blame except for him." Harry looked up at the doorway where Edward was standing, looking in on them. He continued to speak. "And at the end of the school year, you and I are going back home to face the music, but this time neither of us will do it alone. You'll have Jacob and I'll have"  
"Your sucker," Draco interrupted.

Harry glared. "Glad you're feeling better," he said sardonically. "You've been spending too much time with the werewolves."

He pushed himself away from the pureblood and stood up. "Well, after this disaster I can understand you shirking your dinner duties. Edward and I will whip something up, as long as you go take a shower. You smell like burnt plastic. Was anything salvageable from the Black's house?"

Draco shook his head sadly. "He even lost all his pictures of his mother," he said quietly.

Harry bit his lip, knowing what it felt like to lose a connection to one's parents. "I'll send Kreacher over there to see if he can find anything to fix."

Draco swept some hair out of his eyes and stood up. "I appreciate it," he said as he grabbed a towel and entered the bathroom.

"Oh and Jacob?"  
"Hm?"  
Harry shared a conspiring glance with Edward. "Tell Jake that we have plenty of food for him if he wants to stay here for a while."

* * *

Note: That's it for this chapter. I'm estimating that there will be between 40 and 45 total chapters for this story. We still need some filler, then prom, then Lucius stuff, then back to England. That should all be wrapped up in about 5 more chapters. Can't wait for it to end! I'm having fun, but this stuff is stressful too!

P.S. Thanks for all your kind messages regarding my story and my mom. She's doing alright, but her cancer doesn't seem to be diminishing yet. Stay strong! Thanks for your prayers and thoughts. Love you all!


	38. Chapter 38

A/N: Thanks for being patient! Here's the next chapter, a bit shorter than I'd like, but these fillers need to be a bit shorter before the meat of everything happens. I'm back to school in a few days and my goal to complete this story before then has not been accomplished. New goal is to have the story done before Christmas! Stick with me until then, ok? *Disclaimer* I don't own any of this!

* * *

_"Draco Malfoy, you risked people's lives so you didn't get caught with your trousers down? You have got to be kidding me!"_

_"I'm sorry! You don't think I don't know how that feels? I almost killed my boyfriend because I was too stupid to listen to the rules."_

_"shhh," Harry shushed as the pureblood became hysterical._

_"We'll catch him, Dray. Soon, I promise. And no one else is going to die. Not because of him. And no one is to blame except for him." Harry looked up at the doorway where Edward was standing, looking in on them. He continued to speak. "And at the end of the school year, you and I are going back home to face the music, but this time neither of us will do it alone. You'll have Jacob and I'll have"_  
_"Your sucker," Draco interrupted._

_Harry glared. "Glad you're feeling better," he said sardonically. "You've been spending too much time with the werewolves."_

_He pushed himself away from the pureblood and stood up. "Well, after this disaster I can understand you shirking your dinner duties. Edward and I will whip something up, as long as you go take a shower. You smell like burnt plastic. Was anything salvageable from the Black's house?"_

_Draco shook his head sadly. "He even lost all his pictures of his mother," he said quietly._

_Harry bit his lip, knowing what it felt like to lose a connection to one's parents. "I'll send Kreacher over there to see if he can find anything to fix."_

_Draco swept some hair out of his eyes and stood up. "I appreciate it," he said as he grabbed a towel and entered the bathroom._

_"Oh and Draco?"_  
_"Hm?"_  
_Harry shared a conspiring glance with Edward. "Tell Jake that we have plenty of food for him if he wants to stay here for a while."_

* * *

The following Monday found Draco and Harry in their gym class running out on the track. They kept a steady pace, comfortably circling their 6th lap while the boys around them dropped like flies. Across the field Edward was having a conversation with the coach about why he (once again) wouldn't be trying out for the football team in the coming fall. At least this time he had the added excuse of "I'm sorry, Sir, but I'm moving to England," to defend himself with.

"How's Jacob?" Harry asked his companion.

"He's stressed, understandably," Draco answered. "He's only had so many encounters with magic and most of them have sucked: me attacking Lucius, him being obliviated, then being un-obliviated, the apparating fiasco, having his house and possessions ruined…" The pureblood exhaled firmly and picked up his stride.

Harry matched him and they continued to talk as they ran. "But he knows it's not all bad, right?" Harry asked confidently. "I mean I burnt the back of Edward's neck early on but he's forgiven that. Magic was the thing that healed it, after all, and George's Deodor-Ants help keep Jasper in polite company in addition to the fact that Edward can get close to me without taking too many breaks, the horny bugger. The Cullens have developed a bit of an appreciation for magic, I'd say."

"I get where you're coming from, Potter, and no offense but we're sort of talking about two different sides of the same galleon. Let's be honest- you're the golden boy. You always will be. You help people without even meaning to sometimes. I'll always have to fight against my reputation and the Malfoy legacy. You can't fault me for having qualms about dragging Jake into all that."

Coach blew his whistle, encouraging the students to finish up their last lap quickly to get back inside. While most of the boys gratefully cut across the field so as to get in sooner, the wizards kicked up their pace another notch and finished the last half-lap before leaving the track. They hung back from the pack as they entered the locker room.

"But qualms aren't going to stop you from bringing him into it anyway, are they?" Harry mentioned knowingly.

"Of course not," Draco scoffed. "He physically can't be away from me that long, and it might as well be the same for me." Draco pulled his gym shirt over his head and tossed it into his locker.

Harry stared at him, almost slack-jawed. "That was actually really sweet, Draco," he told the blond, impressed.

Draco swept his hair demurely out of his face. "What can I say," he said loftily. "I'm just a romantic."

"Yeah, so put a shirt on and step away from my boyfriend, Draco," Edward said amicably from behind him. He grinned as Draco jumped.

"Merlin, put a _bell _on him, Harry!" he complained.

Harry grinned too and tilted his chin up to accept an extremely chaste kiss from the vampire, aware of the company kept within a boy's P.E. locker room.  
"He's not a _kneazle, _Draco."

Edward nodded. "He's right. I'm not a_ 'small catlike creature with flecked, speckled, or spotted fur, outsize ears, and a tail like a lion's.'_ Although I must admit that I do consider myself_ 'intelligent, independent, and occasionally aggressive.'_And, while I have taken a liking to a particular wizard, I would appreciate it if he did not think of me as a pet." He flashed a crooked grin, pleased with his own cleverness and Draco rolled his eyes.

"Why has he been reading your textbooks?" he asked exasperatedly.

The bell rang and the two wizards quickly slipped on their footwear before the three of them filtered into the hallway.

Edward shrugged. "Harry is only so interesting when he's asleep."

"What _did _you do all night?" Draco asked, genuinely curious. "Before you started stalking Harry, I mean."

The vampire narrowed his eyes. "It varied. I would study, hunt, travel, people-watch, contemplate life and death… study."

"So are you er, super-intelligent?" Draco asked.

Harry positively bragged as he slipped his arm around Edward's waist. "Edward has graduated med school 9 times; he has a doctorate in 17 different fields _and _has been on the president's list of every institution he has ever attended."

Edward scoffed. "Except the first time around," he joked. "I think I recall failing a number of subjects. I was a rebel, you see."

"Pah," Harry waved that away with his hand. "It was the 1900's. All that they were teaching you then is obsolete in this day and age. Look, now you have _technology." _He brandished his phone and laughed.

"Hey, don't knock it!" Edward said. "Those were simpler times. Well, until the depression. That was hell. We went to Europe for a while, but things were rough everywhere, you know. At least Carlisle and I didn't need to worry about food and rations." He winked. "Besides, didn't you say once that Hogwarts was ancient but you loved the historical feel of it?"

"I recall saying nothing of the sort," Harry answered loftily, clearly lying as he grinned playfully at his boyfriend.

"Ugh, you both are sickening," Draco groaned.

They were suddenly joined by the rest of Edward's siblings.  
"_Edward, we're going hunting_," the vampire heard in his head.  
"Now?" he asked aloud.  
_"Now."  
_"Alright."  
He tugged his boyfriend close to his side and kissed his temple. "We're going for a hunt. I'll see you tonight."

"Be safe," Harry enjoined.  
"Of course."  
The Cullens swiftly melted into the throng of students in the hall and were gone without another sound.

"Anyway," Harry redirected the conversation back to their previous topic. "Kreacher spent the day scavenging through the Black's house. When we get home he should be able to tell us if he found and managed to repair anything of sentimental value."

Draco sighed. "I hope so. I don't want Jacob to resent magic, or me, for all this mess."

Harry patted his friend on the shoulder. "I'm sure he doesn't blame you. And if a small part of him does, the bigger part of him that loves you will knock that out soon enough."  
"Thanks, Potter."  
"Anytime."

"Meanwhile," Harry continued, "Krum happened upon a nest just West of the Quileute reservation that they are investigating. They lifted footprints in that area that match the treadmarks on the soles of Azkaban flats, so it's pretty much obvious that it was Lucius. According to the team, they haven't found any significant magic traces in that immediate area, so he must have been roaming around. Being that close to the reservation made it a lot easier for him to pick up on your magic the other day, which is why he acted so quickly in torching the Black's home. He must have assumed we were still there."

Draco seethed. "But if he really was that close, why couldn't the guard catch him? I mean, they are following you and me, right? Even when I go to Jake's?"

"Yeah," Harry confirmed. "They're never too far- he must have just gotten lucky in slipping between our clutches."

"I really hate luck," Draco muttered. "Do you think he's on Felix Felicis or something?"

"I doubt it," Harry answered confidently. "If he was on something as strong as liquid luck, you still would have been snogging Jacob when the building burned down."

The pureblood closed his eyes at the thought. "That's true. So what's the plan then?"

Harry chewed his lip. "I guess they'll just keep scanning the area. Sure, Lucius used magic to light the blaze, but he escaped on foot and he's dodging us at every turn. Until they track him down, we just have to wait for him to mess up. Unless..."

"Unless what?" Draco asked.

"Well, he was quiet until you messed up. So maybe we just need to convince him that we messed up again."

"You mean just make a trap and ambush him? That's so... juvenile," Draco wrinkled his nose.

"Juvenile?" Harry scoffed. "Draco, it's _Slytherin_. Remember when you convinced me to a midnight duel, just so Ron and I would get busted by Filch?"

Draco laughed. "First year, Potter. I was _eleven. _Sure it's Slytherin. It's just a juvenile Slytherin."

"Fine," the gryffindor conceded. "It's juvenile. But your dad has got to be more than half gone by now, Malfoy. I'm telling you, it's worth a shot."

The pureblood quieted for a moment. "Fine." He acquiesced. "We'll propose it to Diggle and see if the guard have any ideas."

XXXXxxxxxXXXXxxxxxxXXXX

Overall, Kreacher had managed to rescue two photo albums containing pictures of a baby Jacob and his family, as well as a hand-sewn quilt and a beautiful dream-catcher. Draco recognized it as a piece that hung above his boyfriend's bed. He ran his fingers gently over the beads that dangled from weathered strips of leather, slipping the soft feathers between his thumb and index finger. He noticed that the white and blue plumage was singed black at the very tip, where the material was too disintegrated for Kreacher to recreate. He sighed, ruffling the feathers. The doorbell rang downstairs. Draco listened to Kreacher answer the door with a mumble and he waited for the heavy though graceful steps of his boyfriend to bound up the staircase. When his door swung open, he was quickly caught up in the warm embrace of Jacob Black. He buried his nose into the russet skin and breathed deeply, digging his fingers into the material at the back of Jake's shirt.

"I'm so sorry," he murmered quietly.

"Hey," Jake said sincerely, pulling back from the hug to look his boyfriend in the eye. "It wasn't your fault. You were not responsible for what happened. In fact, you have done as much as possible to make better an awful situation. When I was standing outside the house and everything was just so dark with smoke, I knew that if I could just call you, everything would be ok. And it was. You got the fire out, got us moved into the Clearwater's place without too much hassle. You made me feel so safe."

Draco snorted. "No one ever calls me to feel safe. Harry's the rescuer. He's the golden-boy hero."

Jacob kissed the pureblood firmly. "Then you're the underdog," he said bracingly. "The one who comes from behind, despite the obstacles, and overcomes the odds in order to be the hero. Trust me, Dray. You made me feel so safe."

Draco smiled a bit. "I'm glad."

They sat on the floor, leaning their backs against the bed, and Razor padded across the room to sprawl across their laps. After his customary over-nuzzling of Jacob's thighs, he rolled over contentedly and bared his stomach for a belly-rub. They obliged him.

"Kreacher was able to rescue some of your things," the wizard began.

Jacob lit up. "What things?"

Draco reached up to pull the stack from the bedside table and set the small pile in front of them.  
The werewolf "ohh"ed softly as he recognized the items and he gently ran his fingers over the quilt, across the photo albums and through the netting of the dream-catcher.

"My great-grandfather's grandfather made this," he informed his boyfriend. "It's really special to the Quileutes… It was a very honorable thing to recover. Please, thank Kreacher for me and for the pack."

Draco nodded. "Of course."

"And," Jake continued, "I know you don't have the best memories of your family, and I know they did you wrong, but I know that you understand how much these photographs mean to me. "

"I know," Draco said softly.

"So," Jake announced, falsely bright and wiping at his eyes inconspicuously, "do you have anything to eat?"

The pureblood grimaced. "Uh yeah, Harry and Edward went to the store to get you some cereal that you like but er… I don't know if you'll be offended."

"Offended?" Jake scoffed, already halfway out the door. "Who ever heard of offensive cereal?"

He almost walked into Edward, who was hanging onto Teddy's fists as the little boy toddled down the hall toward Harry's room. Jake swiftly sidestepped them.

"Yeah, Jacob. _WHOOOoooOOOO_ever heard of such a thing?" the vampire howled.

Teddy cracked up but stopped abruptly with a pout when Jake growled- short and deep.

"Oh relax, you old codger," Draco said teasingly and he grabbed his boyfriend's arm to lead him downstairs. "After a snack, remind me to show you the boots that I ordered for you. The owl arrived this morning."

Jacob, for his part, was so excited by the idea of real dragon-hide boots that he only grumbled for five minutes at the selection of K-9 comestibles. That evening, Jake thoroughly thanked his boyfriend for the purchase in every way that he knew how.

* * *

**Note:** That's it for Chapter 38! Thanks for staying tuned! More updates to follow. Reward goes to the person who gets me to 1,400 reviews. Haven't decided what the reward is yet, but you'll get it! Also, continued thoughts and prayers are greatly appreciated. Love the worldwide support for my mom that this site provides. Love you all!  
Peace, Love and Rainbows,  
darkestAngel13


	39. Chapter 39

Sorry for the delay, I have no excuses except for living life beyond the internet. Thanks for being patient and loving me anyway! **For images and other information, see author's note at the end. *Disclaimer,* I own nothing.  
P.S. Follow me on Tumblr where my name is perpetuating-pez  
**

* * *

_****Recap**** "So," Jake announced, falsely bright and wiping at his eyes inconspicuously, "do you have anything to eat?"_

_The pureblood grimaced. "Uh yeah, Harry and Edward went to the store to get you some cereal that you like but er… I don't know if you'll be offended."_

_"Offended?" Jake scoffed, already halfway out the door. "Who ever heard of offensive cereal?"_

_He almost walked into Edward, who was hanging onto Teddy's fists as the little boy toddled down the hall toward Harry's room. Jake swiftly sidestepped them._

_"Yeah, Jacob. WHOOOoooOOOOever heard of such a thing?" the vampire howled._

_Teddy cracked up but stopped abruptly with a pout when Jake growled- short and deep._

_"Oh relax, you old codger," Draco said teasingly and he grabbed his boyfriend's arm to lead him downstairs. "After a snack, remind me to show you the boots that I ordered for you. The owl arrived this morning."_

_Jacob, for his part, was so excited by the idea of real dragon-hide boots that he only grumbled for five minutes at the selection of K-9 comestibles. That evening, Jake thoroughly thanked his boyfriend for the purchase in every way that he knew how._

* * *

Draco approached the table that had been set up in the back of the cafeteria. He pushed an errant balloon out of his face and fished his wallet out of the (admittedly) tight jeans that Jacob had specifically complimented once.

"Hi Draco!" Eric greeted excitedly. "Ready for prom? All the preparations squared away?"

"Er, yeah. We've been preparing, alright."

"Cool! I'm so excited to see it all put together. So much planning, you know? The committee has been working hard all year!"

"Yeah, my date is really looking forward to it," Draco said in an attempt to be a part of the enthusiasm. "Y'know, dragons and stuff. Great theme!"

"Oh I'm so glad you think so. The board really wanted something more traditional like "Cinderella's Ball" but hey how many people say that their prom was medieval, right?"

"Yeah, it'll be, er, magical, for sure." Draco agreed. He shuffled his feet and sort of gestured with his wallet. "Well I'd like to get my tickets, please."

"Right!" Eric exclaimed, as though he had forgotten what his purpose at the decorated table was. "Sure, two, right?"

Draco laughed. "Unless there's a third in my relationship that I'm unaware of," he joked. Eric smiled and grabbed a metal cash box. He opened it with a key and, with a bit of skepticism, accepted the $100 dollar bill that was handed to him.

"Is that okay?" Draco asked, looking around to see if anyone was watching the transaction.

"No, it's fine! I mean tickets are $50 each so I don't have to worry about making change or anything, but like, this is _high school_, man. Most of the guys are buying their dates' tickets with nickels saved up from the vending machines."

Draco blushed. "Oh. I've never had to worry about that I guess. I'm sorry. That sounded really arrogant."

Eric waved it away and tucked the bill carefully beneath a stack of rolled coins and crumpled dollars.  
"Don't apologize. Sorry for making you uncomfortable. Anyway, let me have your wrist for your bracelet."

Draco offered his left arm, proud of himself that there was no sleeve to roll back. Eric fastened a sticky paper strip around the pale wrist without a second glance at the glaring tattoo just a little further up.

"Don't take this off," Eric warned. "But it is waterproof so you can shower and stuff. "And," Eric continued, "Here's the other one for your date. Don't lose it because that's the only thing that will get you through the doors tonight."

Draco almost took the second bracelet before hesitating. "Uhm, d'you think I could get another silver one instead?" He asked.

Eric looked confused. "Actually we're only giving out the silver ones to all the guys and saving the pink ones for the…girls," he trailed off as Draco raised an eyebrow.  
"oh. OH! I'm sorry. Sure, no problem, here's another silver. I'm really so sorry for assuming."

"It's alright," Draco said amicably. "I've not ever been very loud about it, unlike some."

Eric snickered. "You mean Cullen and Harry? Yeah, not exactly subtle, those two."

"Hey, you don't live with it," Draco grinned. He tucked Jacob's bracelet into his wallet and pocketed it.

"So, is he anyone I know?" Eric asked, leaning forward. Merlin knew the teen couldn't resist school gossip.  
"er, d'you know any of the Quileutes?" Draco asked.  
"No." Eric said flatly.

"Then I guess you'll just have to meet him tonight. Thanks for the tickets!" Draco patted the table and turned away, batting another cauldron-shaped balloon out of his face. He made his way over to the Cullen's lunch table where Harry was noticeably the only one eating.

"Look at you," the gryffindor praised him. "Conversing with someone for a whole 15 minutes. This year really has been good for you."  
By "conversing with someone," Draco knew Harry had meant "tolerating a muggle."

"Yeah, overall the year has been great. Except for, well, issues with Daddy," Draco admitted.

"Like that's anything new from the lives we've lived," Harry replied. "You and I have learned a lot. You can work a computer, use a cellphone, and we met some good friends, too." He gestured to the family of vampires around them. Edward whispered something directly into Harry's ear and Harry flushed. "Yes, that too. There's been plenty of that."

"I don't want to know," Draco said quickly.  
The table laughed.

"So what's on everyone's agenda for today?" Alice asked to the group.  
"We're dissecting a frog today in my environment class." Jasper announced dully. "I'm expecting at least a few female emotional wrecks and several jocks pretending to be much more at-ease than they really are." Alice nodded her head with a hum. "Do make an effort to catch the girl three to your left when she faints, Sweetheart."

Jasper groaned in irritation.  
Edward nodded. "I feel you, Brother," he commiserated.

"Oh poor you," Rosalie said sarcastically. "Taking finals with everyone's thoughts in your head, again."  
"Hey!" Edward answered her. "It's hard to focus when half the school's writing the wrong answers."  
"I'm sure you'll handle it," she said as though speaking to a child

Edward chucked a hunk of bread at her, which Emmett snatched out of the air.

"So," Harry interrupted the ensuing scuffle, "You're all going to prom tonight, right?"  
"We rarely do prom these days," Alice told him, "but Edward informed us of the plan for this evening and we will definitely be there to play interference should the need arise."  
"Thank you." The wizard told them.  
"No problem," Emmett answered smoothly. "How often do you get to see a magic duel go down, even with our lifespan?"  
Draco chuckled darkly. "Let's just hope it doesn't last long."  
"It won't," Harry said confidently. "There's plenty of us and only one of him. Once he picks up on the magic, he'll come. And we'll be ready."

* * *

Teddy wailed from the play area on the carpet, but Harry swept passed him. "Kreacher!" He called, adjusting his collar with one hand and fumbling with his wallet in the other. The house-elf snapped into existence, nose to the floor as was his custom.

"Please go take care of Teddy, if he snots or pees on my robes I don't have the time or means to fix them up right now."  
"Of course."

Kreacher hefted the growing child into his old arms and made his way up the staircase, making sure to not drag Teddy's feet on the steps as he climbed. Harry sighed, brushing his fingers through his hair and wondering how much longer he would be able to rely on the aged house-elf for. He went to the kitchen and, on his tip-toes, felt around in the cabinet for a vial of calming draught. He slipped it into the inner pocket of his dress robes for safe-keeping and patted his wand in its holster as a comforting reminder. The doorbell rang and he heard someone descend the steps to answer it.

"Ah, Mr. Black, do come in." Dedalus greeted warmly.

Harry re-entered the living room, sweeping aside a few stray toys with his foot to shake Jacob's hand.

"Hey, Jake. Draco's still upstairs but he should be down soon. Can I get you a drink or something?"

"uh, Actually I had a question for you," the werewolf said awkwardly. "I didn't want to ask Dray 'cuz I don't want him to think I'm stupid or something, but-" Dedalus noticeably left the room and Harry tilted his head forward as though encouraging a whispered secret.

Jacob lowered his head to the wizard's and murmured, "Man, am I supposed to wear underwear under this thing?"  
He gestured to the expensive dress-robes that Draco had owl-ordered and then subtly held out a pair of boxer-briefs that he had apparently brought with him just in case.  
Harry chuckled. "Er, I think it's a matter of preference, mate. I like a healthy breeze as much as the next bloke, but I've never been one to go naked under my robes."  
Jacob nodded, looking relieved. "Can I use your-"  
"First door on the left," Harry directed him down the hall to the bathroom with a grin.

The bell rang again as Jacob billowed away and Harry checked his reflection in a picture hung on the wall. Smoothing his hair he approached the door and pulled it open.

Edward stood regally in the doorway- he clicked his heels together and offered a slight bow to his boyfriend whose jaw had dropped. Edward was wearing tights that hugged his calf muscles firmly, pulling his eyes upward to the loose purple trousers that covered his thighs and lower torso. The upside-down "V" of the dark vest that he wore framed his groin and drew Harry's attention for more than a glance before he continued his observation. The vest was buttoned almost to the throat, which was surrounded by a moderately high collar. The billowing white sleeves of his shirt were crisp and impressive-looking, fastened at the cuff to reveal Edward's pale but strong hands. Around his waist hung a scabbard where a very real sword was strapped. Its point ended inches above the ground, near two brightly polished square-toed boots.

"Do I pass inspection?" Edward asked smoothly.  
"Yes," Harry answered. "Where did you get this?"  
"Esme made it," Edward told him. "She was thrilled to do so. The sword was Carlisle's, actually. He has a collection of various odds and ends, and I thought it would go well with the ensemble."

"It's weirdly hot," Harry admitted, eyebrows raised.  
Edward smirked. He tugged the wizard toward him and kissed him firmly, licking across his bottom lip for a taste. Harry groaned.

"Woah, Potter! Save it for the after-party!" Draco descended the stairs at a clip, Razor hot on his booted heels. "Where's Jacob?"  
Harry backed away from the vampire and adjusted the lapels of his own robes. "He'll be right out."

As if cued, the Quileute emerged from the bathroom, swirling his robes in fascination around his ankles.  
He looked up and caught sight of his boyfriend. "Wow," he whispered.

Draco was dressed as he never had been within the United States. He looked stately and confident, exuding the charisma and wealth of the name Malfoy that he had always presented in the wizarding world. His hair was slicked, (though not plastered) and carefully swept to one side. The white shirt that he wore was just noticeable at his collar and wrists but was covered by other layers. His black robe draped to the floor and was paired with a fur cloak that fastened with a silver pin at the base of his throat. An intricate silver patter snaked its way across his lapels and matching silver cuff-links were fastened at his wrists. The series of buttons that ran in a line down his torso stopped around his lower waist so as to grant him movement in standing or sitting. From there, the robes fanned slightly outward, revealing his slim legs clothed by firmly pleated black slacks. His boots were black dragon-hide, though these differed from his usual by the silver buckles on top.

"You look really," Jacob hesitated. "Impressive." He decided on. Draco laughed. "You do as well. Who knew you'd clean up so nicely in wizarding clothing."  
Jacob ran a hand down himself self-consciously. "I don't look anything like you do," he said.  
Harry grinned. "No one ever looks the way a Malfoy does. They like standing out and flaunting."  
Draco scoffed. "I do _not_ flaunt." He glided over to his boyfriend and fiddled with the hooded fabric at the back of the robes so that it lay flat down Jacob's shoulders.  
"Yes you do," Harry said very quietly under his breath. Only Edward chuckled.

The steps creaked and the four men looked upward to watch Kreacher slowly make his way back down the staircase with a content Teddy tucked under one gnarled arm like a football.  
"Thank you, Kreacher," Harry said whole-heartedly. "Will you be alright here with him tonight?"  
"Yes, Master Harry, of course."  
Harry bit his lip. "The entire guard will be out of the house tonight. You can manage him?"  
Kreacher's ancient face took on an offended look. "Kreacher has taken care of plenty of babies, Sir. He can handle the wolf's child."

At the end of the steps, Kreacher set down Teddy, who wobbled slightly on his feet before toddling forward. Harry bent and kissed the top of his sandy-brown hair. "Be good, Ted," he told him.  
"Harry bye?" Teddy wanted to know.  
"Yeah, Ted. I'm going for a little while. But I promise I'll be here when you wake up in the morning."

Teddy looked around at all the interesting clothes on the big boys. "Draco bye?" He asked with a tilt of his head.  
"Yes, Little Man," Draco answered.  
Teddy nodded importantly and stuck two fingers in his mouth. Then, with a spray of spit he pulled them out again and pointed at Edward in recognition. " 'dard!" He exclaimed. Then he popped the fingers back in his mouth and toddled off to the carpet where his toys still lay.

Jacob scoffed indignantly. "I cuddle the little dude every moon cycle and he still doesn't acknowledge me!"  
"Don't take it personally, Babe." Draco patted his arm. "Are we ready to go, gents?"

The group of four left the house with a final wave to Kreacher and Harry secured the wards on the property as they approached the curb. Before he could get into Jacob's car, Harry pulled Draco aside.

"Remember, we don't want this to_ look_ like a trap. The magic that you cast has to seem really incidental- like you completely forgot you weren't supposed to do it. Last time he tracked you, it was because you weren't thinking- it was rushed. You need to do that."  
"When is there a 'heat of the moment' at a prom?" Draco asked confusedly. Harry paused for thought. "Use Jacob again," he whispered.  
"What?"  
"Take a break from the dance and go somewhere to get hot with Jake. Use magic for, you know, something. Lucius will assume you're just being stupid again when he senses what spells you use. Then, you know, he'll show up."

Draco rubbed the furred fabric of his cloak between his fingers. "I am not 'getting hot' with Jacob in the bathroom of this restaurant or something if that's what you're suggesting."  
"Well don't go outside! That's the last thing we'll need is to have him show up where we aren't."

Jacob beeped the horn of his car.  
"I'll work it out," Draco rushed out. He patted Harry on the shoulder and opened the door to the small car. He swept his robes regally around and arranged himself properly before closing the door.

Harry nodded to himself as we walked over to Edward's car. "Merlin, I hope this works."

* * *

A/N: Okay- things are going down in the next chapter, which I promise will not take this long to get up. Like I said last time, I want this story done before Christmas.  
Since I tried and failed to post the pictures here, go to my profile to see links to what everyone is wearing. Just imagine the outfits a little more attractive and perfect for each person wearing them.  
Read and Review!

And like I said, please follow me on Tumblr :D (perpetuating-pez)


	40. Chapter 40

**Note: *Disclaimer* **I don't own anything you recognize. Thanks for coming this far! Please continue to review :)

* * *

The drive to the prom was short and Harry experienced a moment of panic when Jacob and Draco's car didn't pull into the lot behind Edward's. Just as he was about to voice his concern that the car had been intercepted somehow, the Rabbit turned into the parking lot and Draco stepped out, carefully running a finger over his hair to tuck it back into place. When Jacob approached from the other side, the pureblood reached up and carefully shook out his boyfriend's lapels, laying everything flat again.

After a moment, Draco patted his boyfriend's chest and confidently strode across the lot toward Harry and Edward with the Quileute trailing him by a step or so.

Harry smirked. "So that's a no on bathrooms but a yes to the side of the road in teeny tiny cars?" he asked through the corner of his mouth.  
Draco scoffed. "Jacob's car is impeccably clean. And he looks hot in wizard's robes."  
With that he grabbed his boyfriend's hand and tugged him to the entrance of the restaurant.

Loud music thrummed through the building, causing the glass doors to vibrate slightly as he extended a pale hand to open them. Just inside the building was a table adorned with small placards; the names of various Forks High students were carefully typed on each of them. Edward carefully scanned the table and swept up "Harrison Potter," "Edward Cullen," "Draco Malfoy," and "Guest of Draco Malfoy."

"Huh," Jake snorted. "You'd think I was your property, Babe." He nudged the wizard gently in the side and took his card from Edward. Draco smirked. "As it should be."

They filed through into the greater portion of the building where the music emanated from and were suddenly lost amid the crowd of tightly packed, writhing teenagers.  
"This is going to be _horrible," _Harry muttered. "Can you imagine a duel breaking out in here?"  
"No confidence in your aim, Potter?" Draco asked.  
"You've experienced my aim, Malfoy. It's your Father's negligence and general bloodthirst I'm concerned about."  
Jacob flinched.  
Draco gently tugged his hand out of his grip. "I wouldn't call it bloodthirst," he said quietly.  
"No?" Harry challenged.

On that note the group found a table that was mostly empty, save for a bored Rosalie sitting with her elbows on the table. Spotting Edward, she pushed her chair back and gestured for them to sit.  
"There. Saved you your seats, now let me go rescue those from themselves." She strutted to the center of the dance floor where Emmett was doing a successful job of clearing his own space to dance as he gyrated wildly and periodically spun Jasper and Alice in circles.  
The Cullens, sans Edward, were all dressed fairly generically for the Medieval theme. The girls' dresses were princessy and the boys wore loose pants with vest-like tops that buttoned together in a V down the torso. In comparison, Edward's outfit had clearly taken work and effort. Harry was pleased and appreciative in particular of Edward's choice of tight leggings rather than the flowing material that his brothers wore.

Other students mostly were adorned in traditional prom attire, though some wore material that Harry thought deserved a "You tried" gold star. The home-made sewing and patched fabrics were noticeably lack-luster.

"You know," Draco said as he eyed the packed dance floor. "We had _planned_ to blend in when we arrived here."  
Jake snorted. "Yeah, blending. With your unattainably expensive car, motorcycles, the sexy British accents, _magically_ procuring excellent Medieval garments…"  
"Ah, but that's the key, Love." Draco smiled. "Magic," he whispered and tapped his nose with his index finger.  
Jacob laughed. "Yeah, yeah, magic… whatever. Let's dance." He tugged his boyfriend onto the loud floor and the two ignored the sudden stares that they attracted as they pulled each other close and moved to the steady beat.

Edward dropped his wallet onto the table and looked to his own boyfriend, who was still scanning their surroundings. "Harry," he began.  
Said wizard narrowed his eyes as he took in the various emergency exits but did not answer, having not heard him.  
"Harrison," Edward said, more firmly.  
"What?"  
"Would you like to dance?" He asked, holding out his hand.  
"I-"  
"_Harry,"_ The vampire implored.  
"I want to," Harry said. "I just..."  
"Look, Harry. Nothing is going to happen until we make him come here. And if he does, for some reason, show up before then, we're ready."  
"Are we, though?" Harry asked. "I thought this was all over last year and yet here I am again, preparing for a fight and I don't know what's going to come of it. The guard is here but so are the _muggles, _and you're here now and Draco's so afraid of losing Jake…"

Edward seized Harry by the shoulders and shook him minutely. "Harry Potter you listen to me. You have got to stop this. Yes, Lucius is after you. But he's after Draco as well. There is nothing and no one that says this is your entire fault. Furthermore, killing him or protecting all these people is not your responsibility, nor is Draco and Jacob's relationship or anything else on your shoulders. You have an entire guard here. You've got Draco, you have a werewolf, Alice, Jasper, Rosalie, have you _seen _Emmett? And you have me. You do not have to do this on your own. You're not alone and you don't have to take care of everyone. So please, we know that things are going to happen tonight. But until then, let's dance, and you can eat. It does smell delicious and the chef can't stop praising himself back there in the kitchen, and we will have our prom together, okay? At least for a few hours."  
Harry breathed deeply, collecting himself. "You're right."  
Edward smiled. "I know."  
The wizard rifled through his pockets. "Lemme just…" he pulled a small vial from the depths of his robe and uncorked it, downing it quickly. As the effects of the calming drought swept over him he rolled his shoulders and smiled at his boyfriend.

"It's a muggle prom. If Draco can dance before this all goes down, so can we." And with a grin he tugged his boyfriend onto the dance floor.  
Edward's eyes widened over Harry's shoulder as a hand clamped down on the wizard's arm. With a shout that was muffled by the steady, thrumming bass, Harry turned abruptly, gripping his wand securely beneath the sleeve of his robe.  
He blew a sigh of relief as he came face to face with the principal of the school, who was wearing a stern look on his face.

"Mr. Potter, this is unacceptable behavior."  
Harry looked shocked. "What? Dancing with my boyfriend?" Behind him, Edward shook his head and hid a laugh.  
"Whatever you just drank, Harrison. I realize the laws are different here but you are underage in this country and alcohol is not allowed at this school function."  
Harry laughed, angering the man. "I didn't drink anything, Mr. Gordon!" he assured the principal.  
"Do not lie, young man. I just witnessed you take a drink from a flask, which I am respectfully asking you to turn over to me before I forcibly confiscate it."  
"Sir," Edward interrupted. "Harry takes medication for a personal condition."  
The principal sighed, likely feeling his authority slip from his fingers in view of his school. "Would you mind taking a breathalyzer to appease my suspicions, then?"  
"Then may I dance with my boyfriend?" Harry asked in a bored tone.  
"Yes."  
"Then fine, I will take the test."  
Principal Gordon opened a small packet and slipped a plastic sleeve over the spout of the small black object that he procured from his pocket. Fiddling with it, he finally offered it to the wizard and said "Blow please."  
Edward smirked.  
Harry put the straw into his mouth and blew.  
The principal eyed the tool and frowned. "I'll trust you," he said, having apparently received a negative reading. "Enjoy the night, Gentlemen."  
"You too, Sir." Edward answered.

Harry waved the man off with a grin. "You know we're lucky there's nothing alcoholic in a potion. Being kicked out of here now really would have delayed our plans a bit."  
Edward grinned. "I'm sure you could have magicked your way back in somehow," he said as he pulled his boyfriend into a dance.  
"Well yeah," Harry admitted. "But getting off to a bad start early on is a bad omen that even I can spot."  
"Do you believe in all that, then?" Edward asked curiously. "Omens and the like?"  
Grateful for the loud thumping of the music, Harry had no problem answering. "After the prophecy between me and Tom Riddle, I can't really discount divination in general. And with Alice's visions, we can't deny the ability to see the future." Harry explained. "As far as omens and tea leaves though, I dunno. Hermione calls it a wooly subject."  
"I see."

"Hey, Harry!" a voice cut into their conversation. He turned away from Edward and smiled at Bill Weasley, whose hair was tied back with a large piece of ribbon for the occasion, though his shoulders were still adorned with the Forks High Security Jacket. "Good news!"  
"What is it?" The black haired wizard asked anxiously. He stopped swaying with Edward and gripped his boyfriend's arm.  
"Remember that apothecary we had in for questioning?"  
Edward and Harry nodded.  
"Well after we seized his stock for evidence, we found a good amount of Felix Felicis. We got the clear on it about an hour ago that says it's safe and available for use. Dedalus is planning to drop a good amount into that drink over there. The more students who drink it, the safer everyone should be tonight!"  
Harry's brow furrowed. "I thought potions didn't work on muggles."  
Bill shrugged. "Well, we can't do anything useful for them, like give them a pepper-up for a cold or skele-grow for broken things because the side effects would be too dangerous, but all that Felix does is draw out some good luck. The worse that could happen is someone might find a few extra notes on the sidewalk for a week or so. Hardly detrimental to their health."  
Harry nodded. "That's excellent, Bill. Pass my thanks on to everyone."  
"Of course. Now let me blend back into the crowd here before people think we're a threesome," he pulled a face and then laughed, walking over to the doors where several other administrative workers stood.  
****

An hour later, prom was in full swing. Harry kept an eye on the punch bowl as it was emptied and then refilled by the wait-staff, and then casually visited by a restaurant worker that Harry knew to be Dedalus in disguise. Students danced, rarely sparing a glance at the two all-male couples that happily held each other close, laughed, and sang along just like everyone else. Finally, buffet trays were brought out and the DJ cut the music to a generic party mix while everyone found their seats. Harry ate heartily, conscious of the need for energy to burn when dueling. Every few bites, Edward subtly forked more from his own plate to Harry's.

"Do you think I haven't realized you're doing that?" Harry asked sardonically.  
Edward laughed quietly. "Give me some credit, Harrison. Of course you would notice yourself eating that much. If I were trying to be subtle, I'd be moving too fast for you to see." He winked and passed another forkful of potato onto his boyfriend's plate.  
"Well thank you," Harry said appreciatively. "But I don't want to be too full either. Maybe you could zip some onto Draco's dish, as his boyfriend doesn't seem to be as willing to share as you are." He nodded his head over toward the Quileute, who had already visited the buffet table twice and was busily sawing through a fourth_ filet mignon_. Draco seemed to be trying with all his might to not reprimand his boyfriend for his atrocious eating habit and instead nudged him every once in a while to have him dab his mouth with a napkin or sip some water.

"Right," Edward agreed. "I suppose he should have his energy up too." Harry felt the slightest hint of a breeze as a portion of Edward's meal was whisked from one side of the table onto Draco's plate. Edward hardly seemed to twitch.  
The pureblood looked astonished to see another serving of pasta in front of him but looked up at the Gryffindor and vampire immediately. "But the _carbs," _he whined at them.  
"You never know how much energy you'll need," Harry told him. "Just eat and let's hope you won't need to burn it all off later."  
Jacob finished his meal and dropped his napkin onto the plate. "Yeah, Babe. And if you don't burn it off fighting, I'm sure you'll get plenty of exercise when we"  
"_Jacob Black_!" Draco interrupted, his ears pinking darkly.  
"…go for a walk on the beach." Jacob finished lamely. "Wow, Dragon, you_ pervert_." he grinned wolfishly.

The rest of the Cullens, who were filling the remaining chairs at the table, snickered.

There was a ruckus from over near where the DJ's equipment was set up and they all turned in time to watch a girl in spectacularly high heels trip over an extension cord. As she fell, her momentum carrying her full-on into a waiter carrying a huge bowl of dip, her body contorted curiously and she caught herself inches away from the salsa that splattered across the floor and into the air. Trying to regain her dignity, she shuffled away without a fleck of the mess on her and her hair was still perfect.  
"Well," Harry concluded, "If that's not a teenaged girl's biggest example of luck, I don't know what is. The Felix must be working."  
"Yeah," Edward agreed. "Just think, there will probably be a record of zero accidental pregnancies after tonight."  
They laughed.  
****

They continued their dinner, chatting lightheartedly, though an ominous fog whistled in the back of their heads, knowing that they were planning to end things tonight.

"So tell me again," Jacob said quietly as he ate a slice of cake. "Why are you going to do this in such a public place? The risk, the witnesses… why not just like, summon him to a parkinglot or something?"  
"Jake," Draco said slowly. "My father isn't stupid. He's gotten sloppy after the stint in Azkaban, sure, but he wouldn't just show up when we call him like a good little crup. He'll want to think that he's the one surprising us- that we're so caught up in our mudblood lives-  
(_"Draco!"_ Harry admonished, but the pureblood waved him off.)  
"-so caught up that he'll just swoop in and take us out. The only reason he's not sneaking up randomly is that he can't find us a lot of the time."  
He lowered his voice further. "Killing Mrs. Vicklind was the closest he's gotten to us, besides the mall. But all that's just been for show, to drag things out. He wants a performance. What we need to do is make him think that we're not expecting him, when really it's the complete opposite. Sure, it's cliché, but cliché exists because it's real. Only Harry here was stupid enough to actually go walking purposely into an ambush when the Dark Lord called, but well, he's Harry Potter, so that was cliché enough for everyone involved."  
Jacob nodded. "So now we need to just get him here?"  
"Yeah."  
"How?"  
Draco didn't answer but Harry raised an eyebrow, looking suggestively between the two of them.  
"Ew, Harry! I definitely have more respect for Draco than that."  
Draco beamed. "And that's why I love you," he said playfully, yanking his boyfriend close by the side of his collar and smacking a kiss to his cheek.

"Can you _not?_" A rude voice asked from behind them. Harry recognized the kid but didn't know his name. It might have been James.  
"I'm sorry, what?" Draco asked icily.  
The boy was turned in his seat, glaring at the wizard and keeping a protective arm around his scantily-clad date.  
"My girlfriend attends a catholic school, and you're making her really comfortable with your public displays of affection, or lust or whatever."  
"What, by kissing my date on the cheek?" The wizard griped. "Well I apologize, but _your_ date is making me uncomfortable due to the fact that her bare arse is rubbing up against that chair that other people will need to use in the future. And _you _are making me uncomfortable with your public displays of ignorance." Draco made to turn back to his own table, but James kept talking.

"Look, Bro. I've been nice all night by not saying nothing when you're out there dancing on him, but having to watch you kiss him is making everyone here sick, so either leave, or tone it down, ok?"

Draco forced his chair backward and stood, eyeing up the teenager as he did the same. "I can't believe that you have the audacity to say something like that to another human being. Further, you do not speak for this entire gathering. I'm sure that if we were truly making 'everyone here sick,' someone with a little more class than your pathetic self would have said something. As it is, you're the only one making a complete prick of yourself."

Someone a few tables away clapped, causing an uncomfortable ripple of laughter to break the tension that had settled in the room. Unfortunately, that did not bode well with the outspoken teen who loosened his tie and charged the few feet forward toward Draco with a fist clenched tightly. Jacob though immediately backed up his chair and hurled a punch into James' face before he could touch the wizard. The boy's date screamed, drawing way too much attention to the group.

"Shit! Shit!" Harry began panicking as blood spurted from James' nose, dripping wetly from between the fingers that he had brought up to hold his face with. Harry looked at the Cullens, who were eyeing the blood carefully but had made no move to neither leave nor attack.

"Jacob, no!" Draco held back his boyfriend's arm as it was raised threateningly again. "If we get kicked out everything will be ruined!"  
Security descended on the scene and Draco flicked his hand subtly, feeling his wand slip into his grip though covered by the sleeves of his robes. With a hasty mumble, blood stopped seeping from the boy's nose and his face was clean again.  
"What? I swore it was bleeding a second ago?"

"That can happen," Harry said amiably, brushing the teen's sleeves reassuringly. "A good punch makes your face feel hot, like it's bleeding, but it's not. Don't screw with Draco and Jake, ok? We're all nice guys, just leave us be." He turned to the security guards as they approached. "Don't worry! Just a misunderstanding!" he said happily. "We're buddies." He slung an arm around the idiot's shoulders and squeezed, as if daring him to disagree. Bill Weasley soon enough had convinced the adults that no action was necessary, and left the teens on their own again. The opinionated boy roughly shook Harry's arm off him. "Get your queer self off me," he bit out.

"Yeah, yeah," Harry muttered. "No thanks for not ratting out your sorry arse. Just go back to your date."  
Turning back, Harry found Jacob and Draco muttering darkly to one another, the former still fuming. He then settled down with the Cullens.  
"Are you alright? That was a good amount of blood coming really fast."  
"It was okay," Jasper said quietly. "It looked good, I suppose, but we came prepared." They each reached into their pockets and pulled out a Deodor-Ant. "I expected the rush, but it wasn't really there," the vampire continued. "And besides, Draco cleared it up pretty quick."

"Yeah, he did," Harry agreed. "It was pretty fast thinking... Oh Merlin."  
"What?"  
"Spur of the moment magic," Harry said. "Be ready," he told them. "He'll be coming."

* * *

A/N:  
So I know I promised Christmas time, but if you guys have been following this story for a while, you know that I promise a lot of things... I'm bad at promises I suppose. New goal is to finish this up in the next couple days so I'm not working on it in 2013. To all of you that are still with me, Thank you! More to come soon :D  
Please REVIEW!  
I hope you are all enjoying yourselves, regardless of whatever things you might or might not celebrate. Enjoy the New Year Festivities!  
With Peace, Love, Radios, Turtles, and other fine things,  
darkestAngel13


	41. Chapter 41

A/N: Okay, here we go. I'm concerned that you all might hate this chapter and I'll lose all my friends. So be critical, but don't hate ME. Hate the chapter if you don't like it, but no personal attacks please. Please be honest though and let me know what you think. *Disclaimer* I Don't own anything you recognize.

* * *

Bill turned his back on the two younger wizards, allowing them to deal with the problem on their own. As he headed back to the main entrance, he heard an argument building. Immediately he began to jog, hearing Principal Gordon say firmly "I'm sorry, Sir. If you need assistance there is a hospital down the road that would be happy to help you, but like I said this restaurant is closed tonight for a private venue!"

"Rictusempra!" hissed the voice that Bill was listening for. There was a crash and surprised shout as the principal's body was thrown backward into the table, sending papers, favors, and other small things flying into the air. The tinkling of breaking glass told Bill that the students had been about to receive something rather fragile as their prom memento. Probably snow-globes or picture frames or something of the sort. Behind Bill, in the main room, the music still thudded and students ate or danced, unaware of what was brewing just yards away. Bill skidded into the foyer of the building with his wand drawn, a spell on his lips when he was bound tightly and fell with a solid thunk to the floor, cursing himself for his stupidity.

"Really, Weasley, is this the sort of skill they teach to curse breakers? I saw you coming in the reflection of that mirror there. Pity you headstrong Gryffindors act before you think."

Lucius Malfoy stepped over the redhead and stepped firmly on his wrist, feeling the bones creak and grind together as Bill cringed. Then, with a snap of his heel he cracked the Gryffindor's wand and kicked it to the side. Bill winced and looked up at the man from his binds on the floor. He tried to speak but felt the rope squeeze more firmly around his trachea and gagged instead. A few feet away, Principal Gordon stood from the rubble of broken things and stared, wide-eyed at the scene before him.  
His security guard was struggling weakly against tight rope as his face steadily turned darker. Above him, the filthy man that was trying to come in stood in tattered robes that draped loosely over his frame. They had been cut away hastily at the knee, leaving his pale legs exposed, and leading down to his flimsy footwear that was caked in grime. The man's long hair was knotted and disgusting, but his visage was the most disturbed. His cheeks were gaunt and his gaze manic, and a sneer twisted his mouth as he breathed heavily. In his hand he held a stick, or rather, a wand. The air was thick with a sort of energy that the educator had never felt before. It felt like power or heat, and a little bit like electricity, and a lot like fear.

"HELP!" Principal Gordon called as loudly as he could. With all his strength, he shoved the table again, hoping to create enough noise to draw attention from someone else inside. The blond man spun rapidly and a jet of purple light whizzed through the air toward the principal, who closed his eyes and gasped in fear. When the light struck him there was a burning sensation that erupted within him and he slumped in pain to the floor, gripping his stomach as though he could cradle his flaming insides. In the same moment, shouts erupted from beyond the foyer and Mr. Gordon briefly opened his eyes in time to see Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy, along with the Cullens and several people that he did not know, sprint onto the scene. Flashing lights and shouting filled the air. With a groan, the man's head drooped, and everything went black.

"He'll be coming," Harry warned. Draco looked at him and nodded, resigned to the fact that this was truly happening. He tongued his cheek and squeezed Jacob's hand tightly. The pureblood's shoulders relaxed when his boyfriend squeezed back reassuringly. Then, as one the Cullens and Jacob all perked, catching a sound that the wizards could not.

"That's got to be him," Jake said loudly enough for the others to hear. "He smells familiar."

Immediately, Edward turned toward the entrance, but Harry tugged him back.  
"Wait," he said quickly. "We have to do this the smart way. Some of you will have to stay in here, in case anything that happens comes in here. Draco and I need to take care of this. You should hang back unless-"  
The Gryffindor was cut off as a loud "HELP!" split through the music, followed by a resounding crash. Without hesitating further, Harry took off toward the lobby, the others flocking with him. At the same time, there were cracks of appiration and members of the guard materialized alongside them.

Spotting Bill Weasley struggling weakly beneath the strangulation of ropes ignited a fire in Harry's eyes. With a shout, the ropes split, and the red-haired man gasped desperately for air and clutched at his chest and throat with one good hand. Meanwhile, Draco was already firing spell after spell at the filthy criminal, who staggered backward, though still managed to block each one effortlessly.

"Come now, Son! You never could best me in a duel, what makes you think you can today?" The elder Slytherin chuckled in a demented sort of way and pressed his own back against a wall. "Your friends? Tut tut, Draco. Still siding with beasts and animals and pathetic wizardry. You could have had _power."_A silver curse flew from his wand and snaked its way beneath Draco's blocking arm, slicing easily through the fabric of his robe and cutting deeply into his side. The young Slytherin hissed in pain and staggered, before shooting another curse in retaliation that was easily deflected.

With a growl, Jacob shot forward, slamming his boyfriend's father solidly against the wall. There was a sick cracking sound, which Harry initially thought to be Lucius' head against a beam, but it was the werewolf who crumpled, howling and curling inward as the bone-crushing hex effected his hands and wrists.

While this was happening, the Cullens were doing their best to prevent the situation from escalating. Edward was tending to the collapsed Principal Gordon while the guard was working in teams to cast anti-disapparation charms. They had Malfoy cornered and were not going to allow him to escape again.

Jake huddled against the wall and whimpered pathetically as Lucius stepped over him. Jasper and Alice were milling around the restaurant trying to appear casual while lacing their classmates' minds with random thoughts to keep them from paying attention to anything beyond the dance floor. Rosalie and Emmett had pulled Bill to his feet and, once he had regained his breath, convinced him to fall back, as he was useless without his wand. Then, the two vampires analyzed the circumstances around them, trying to figure out where they would be of most assistance.

Amid the chaos, from down a long corridor Mike Newton appeared in the lobby; apparently having returned from the bathroom that was located down that way. He froze in terror at the scene before him and then, horribly, time seemed to stand still.

The elder Malfoy whipped his wand through the air in a banishing hex that pushed everyone except for Draco backward and away from himself and Jacob. He then spat "Imperio!" and held his wand steadily on Mike, who walked robotically forward. Emmett attempted to charge toward them and found himself thrown backward.  
Lucius had created a sort of bubble of about 20 feet in diameter, encasing himself, his son, Jacob, and the muggle. Immediately the guard began attempting to break through the shield, and Harry could only watch as he stared through the dome in dread of what was going to go on in there.

"Is this the only thing holding you back, Draco?" Lucius said calmly, and he nudged Jacob's arm with his foot, causing the hulking teenager to whimper pathetically.  
"You abandoned the Dark Lord, betrayed your family, your blood, and _this _is what you make of yourself? Making nice with muggles, and consorting with _this?" _He stepped firmly on Jacob's crushed hand and Jake cried out loudly, tears rolling quickly down his face.  
Werewolves healed quickly, but even Jacob would need a while to recover from such damage.

"STOP IT!" Draco screamed. "Father, Please!"

"Stop?" Lucius asked him. "Why? I'll tell you what, Draco. I'm going to die tonight. I know this. All I want from you is one last act of loyalty. Do as I say, and you can live out your pathetic muggle life and Potter can dispose of me however he wishes."

Draco pressed his hand into his side, feeling the blood seep steadily and he closed his eyes in confusion at Lucius' statement. Squaring his shoulders then, he met his father's eye helplessly.

"What would you have me do?" he asked quietly.

Lucius chuckled darkly. He kicked Jacob over toward his son's feet and grabbed Mike Newton by the scruff of the collar, cancelling the imperious charm.  
As he came back to himself, the muggle struggled viciously. "What the hell is going on?" he demanded. "I'll fucking kill you, I'll-"

Lucius shook him violently and laid his wand against the teenager's neck. "You kill that one, Son," he said as he gestured to Jacob, "Or I'll kill this one." And he pressed his wand deeply into the hollow of Mike's neck, making him gag. The muggle's face became pasty white and his eyes widened in fear.

"Father, I can't! I-" Draco began.

At his hesitation, Lucius hissed a cutting hex and blood began to pool at Mike's throat while he screamed. The teen kicked and twisted but was held fast by the wizard's clawed grip. "Kill him, Draco!" the pureblood demanded.

"Dray, look at me."

Draco looked down into Jacob's eyes and desperately tried to communicate soundlessly with him. The Quileute nodded and closed his eyes tightly. "You can do it," he said.

Mike screamed as Lucius cut him again.

On the outside of the barrier Harry and the guard worked furiously to dispel the wards while the Cullens looked on.

Draco raised his wand.

There was an explosion of light, sound, and motion inside the bubble. Within seconds the barrier fell and Harry scrambled forward.

Against the wall, Jacob lay panting heavily in his wolf form with his front paws awkwardly extended in front of him to not bear any weight. His hulking form protectively surrounded a passed out Mike Newton. Feet away, Lucius's eyes were staring lifelessly from his gaunt face, a look of surprise etched permanently upon his wasted visage. His body was slumped to the ground in a pile of wretched Azkaban robes and his wand rested uselessly in a powerless grip. Draco slowly pushed his own wand back into its holster on his forearm and approached the body. With a shaky breath, he reached out and closed the wizard's eyelids.

"I love him, Father." He said quietly, but with no less conviction. "And unlike you, he loves me back."

Behind him, Harry clapped a hand on his shoulder and squeezed gently. "I'm sorry," the gryffindor offered.

"Don't be. I'm not." Draco answered.

"Well, I'm not either, really," Harry said honestly. "Not that he's gone. But I am sorry that he wasn't the father you should have had."

"Thanks, Potter."

"Last names again," the Gryffindor sighed. "You know what would be interesting?" he asked.

"What's that?"

"If you took on the name 'Black' one day," Harry answered. "It'd be a nod to your mother's line, and well…" he gestured across the room to where the Quileute was watching them through big, tired eyes.

Draco smiled slightly. "Ha," he said. "I'll keep it in mind."

He glanced one last time at his father's lifeless form before walking away. Some members of the guard, including the one with the pubic-hair beard that they had laughed about shuffled past to collect the body.

**  
Draco sunk down on his knees beside the large wolf. "Thank you," he whispered. He ran his fingers through Jacob's fur and the wolf whined. "I'll get a medi-wizard to help you out with your hands, ok? Even you can't recover from a curse like that without agony. Do you want to shift back?"

Jake nosed his hand and licked it gently before uncurling slowly. Standing up, Draco grabbed Mike by his upper arms and tugged him to the floor, off of Jacob. As he did so, the Quileute grew upward and became a man. He hissed as his hands took human shape again, badly, and he pulled his arms into himself. Draco left the muggle on the floor to receive medical attention and made work of tying his boyfriend's robes back around his naked form before he stood without clothes for long.

"Thanks," Jake said quietly.

"Don't even," Draco said. And he leaned up to gently kiss his boyfriend before pulling away. "I wish I could help with those, but I'd make it worse," he apologized. "But someone will heal you soon."  
"I love you," Jacob said quietly.  
"Yeah. I know. You too."

**

The activity that was taking place in the restaurant was overwhelming. Obliviators were working with Principal Gordon while the Cullens worked to prevent people from noticing what was happening.

"Excuse me, I need to use the bathroom," a girl attempted to walk down the short entranceway toward the lobby.  
"Oh, you so don't want to go out there right now," Rosalie said companionably. "Some idiot got drunk and vomited all over. Oh my goodness, what a cute hairpiece!"  
The girl, so flustered by the praise from someone as gorgeous as Rosalie, apparently forgot about her bladder and happily walked away chatting.

Meanwhile, Harry was overseeing the progress of his guard while leaning back against Edward's chest.

"It's weird," Harry admitted. "I wasn't even involved, when it comes down to it. I mean, I knew that a lot of this was on Draco, but I had no idea how personal this had become for Lucius."

"In hindsight, I'm not really surprised." Edward admitted. "If you think about it, what Lucius has always wanted is power and respect. He knew that he was never going to receive either from you, but a part of him continued to crave the respect from his own flesh and blood. I mean, he was a wreck himself and probably knew it. If you don't have control over yourself then maybe you could hope for some control over your son and… well, I think it's natural that he would want more respect from Draco than he would want to seek pointless revenge from you. And that probably only struck him a few months ago when he learned that Draco belonged to a new man now, and a non-magic shape-shifter nonetheless."

Harry looked up at the vampire. "How did you get so smart?" he asked.

"A hundred years or so will do that to you."

"hm."  
"What happens now?"

"As soon as everything is cleared away here, we end prom and pretend like this never happened. We were lucky there were no civilian deaths to worry about. The Felix Felicis was always just a precaution to begin with but, wait…"  
He dodged through some wizards and approached Mike Newton, who was leaning woozily against a freshly healed Principal Gordon by now.

"Mike, did you drink the punch tonight?"  
"Nope," the muggle popped the "p" dazedly. "I'm allergic to a variety of juices. Couldn't risk it."  
Harry huffed a short laugh. "Out of everyone, it _would_ have been you that didn't drink it _and _got caught up in this shit storm. Only you, Newton."  
"'m tired, Potter," Mike said, nodding his head.  
"I know. Someone will get you home soon."

**

About an hour later, everyone was gone and well placed confundus charms had successfully convinced a crowd of teenagers that the prom ran until midnight, instead of the scheduled 11pm. It was likely that dozens of them would receive punishment from their parents, but to be honest, what parent truly expects their child home before curfew on prom night? Someone started a rumor that Mike Newton had been violently ill all over the lobby and his friends were told that he was taken home. Actually, Dedalus personally drove him, dropping him off on his front porch and casting a cheering charm on him before leaving the boy to enter on his own. Then Principal Gordon, who insisted on tipping the wizard for the lift and happily waved him off from the curb of his apartment complex. Fabricated tales of successful prom nights swirled in the minds of both muggles.

Bill had successfully repaired all the favors that had been shattered and handed them one at a time to each grabby teenager who left the dance, sweating and looking as though they had had the night of their lives. All none the wiser to the fight that had broken out just one room away.

After a half hour or so of agony, the bones in Jacob's hands had been reconstructed magically thanks to one of the elite aurors. However, they were held together like a fragile puzzle and the werewolf was cringing as he felt the bones slowly re-fuse more solidly with the passing time.

At long last, wait-staff were putting away tables and mopping floors when Viktor approached the remaining wizards.  
"They haff floo'd the body back to England. Kingsley vill vant to talk to you, Draco, to ask vat you vant done next."  
"Tell him to bury him with my mother. I don't want to be there."  
Krum nodded. "There is nothing left to do here. Ve should go home."

The Cullens, sans Edward, quickly arranged themselves, said their goodbyes, and were gone, while the others gathered their things at a hollow, sedate pace. As they left the restaurant and felt the night breeze whip across their faces, Draco pulled himself close to Jacob's side. "Let's leave your car here for the night. You can't drive like this and I just want to be at home now." Jake nodded.  
"Close your eyes and breathe," Draco warned, before he spun and with a pop the two of them disappeared.

Edward eyed his boyfriend. "Want to do the same?"  
Harry shook his head. "Let's drive. Give them some time to just talk or whatever they need right now."  
Edward agreed and grabbed his boyfriend's hand, neatly entwining their fingers.

The drive back to the house felt no longer than the drive to the restaurant had been, but the atmosphere was certainly different. Harry felt lighter, like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. In the back of his mind he ached for the circumstances that Draco had faced that night. And further guilt settled shallowly upon him. No death deserved to be celebrated- no matter whose death it was. To murder was still violent and inhuman and frankly sad, even when it's necessary. And yet, Harry felt as though a chapter had officially closed, leaving room for a new one to begin. He smiled as he looked out the window and watched the stars from Edward's car. He searched for Mars in the sky but couldn't find it. Venus, however, shone brightly just above the tree line.

They pulled into the garage and closed the door behind them as they entered the house. For some reason, Teddy was still awake. There was evidence of tears and snot on his face as though he had cried for a long time and Draco was still in his robes as he fed the child at the kitchen table.  
The Slytherin looked up at the sound of the door closing and met Harry's befuddled gaze.

"Kreacher's dead," he said quietly.

* * *

Note: Okay! So, Lucius' storyline is done. Everything wraps up rather quickly after this I'm afraid. Perhaps a couple more chapters. I'd like to say it will round off at the perfect 45, but it might even be less than that. It depends on how I want to space out the upcoming content. Maybe 4 more very short ones.  
I hope the death wasn't too anticlimactic for you. To be honest, with an entire guard, it was impractical for Lucius to do much of anything. If everyone had been able to fight, then he would have been dead in a nanosecond. Suspend your belief for a moment and decide that the vampires didn't rip him limb from limb because they were concerned after Edward had received the cruciatus. Anyway, what I really wanted was the closure/patricide for Draco. Kind of dark but also a relief. Hope you aren't too mad at me for being a sucky THIS IS THE BIG SCENE writer. Sorry.  
Anyway, I love you all for coming with me this far! Not much longer now!  
-darkestAngel13


	42. Chapter 42

A/N: Y'all were panicking about Kreacher so I decided to put you out of your misery and assuage your fears by giving you this little piece. Hope this satisfies, I didn't mean to make you all concerned! Please review! (Disclaimer: No characters or anything is mine. Brand names, such as Teddy Grahams, are not mine either.) **Seeking artists! Would anyone be interested in drawing a scene from my story? Send me whatever you can do, I look forward to seeing them! Will post and credit any submissions. Thanks!**

* * *

Draco and Jacob materialized in the wizard's bedroom and Draco released his hold reluctantly. He sighed as he heard Teddy's loud screams permeate the walls of the house. Razor, silly animal, was scratching insistently on the door and when Draco turned the doorknob the panther was off like a shot down the hall. Jacob and his boyfriend shared a curious glance.  
"Lay down and rest," Draco said quietly. "I'll go see what this is all about."

Jake nodded and gingerly placed himself on the bed, maneuvering until he was comfortable while using his hands as little as possible.  
Meanwhile, Teddy's cries continued on, sounding hoarse with exhaustion. Draco headed down the hall, a quip in his step as he passed Teddy's room and found it empty. Finally, in the living room, his curiosity peaked. The couch had been pushed across the floor, leaving indents in the carpet where it had been, so that the back of it created a triangle that was caddy-corner to where the two far walls of the room met. Draco knelt on the couch cushion and peered over the back. Sure enough here was Teddy, whose cries only lessened minutely at the sight of the blonde. Razor was snuggled up beside the child, purring comfortingly. There was an empty bottle on the floor and a rubber snack-cup that contained only crumbs of Teddy Grahams, which the child called 'Me-Bears.'

"Dray-hay-cooo," he sobbed, reaching up with two small, damp hands, asking to be lifted. Draco did so, hushing Teddy softly and cuddling him over his shoulder. He stood, bouncing as he walked, to calm the little boy.

"What is this about?" Draco asked to himself, feeling completely overwhelmed. His ear felt hot as Teddy's wails lessened to whining against his cheek and the toddler calmed a bit before pushing himself up to look Draco in the eye.

"Pasta _pwease_, Dray-coh," he sniffed. "I want juice." The pureblood looked at his watch, noting the middle of the night hour. Harry would kill him for off-setting the boy's schedule. But where was Kreacher? The answer ticked in his head and Draco bit the inside of his lip in resignation.

"Okay, Mini-Moony. Let's go." He patted the boy's bottom, noting that his diaper was in need of a change, and made a face. He then placed Teddy in his chair, gave him a spoon to entertain himself with, and opened the refrigerator. Sure enough, the plate Harry had made for Teddy's supper was still set on the top shelf, still wrapped and untouched. There was a sippy-cup of juice left undrunk and a bedtime bottle still full. He grabbed the juice with a sigh and put it on Teddy's tray, where it was seized and gulped down.

"Slow down, bud. You'll get sick." Draco smoothed Teddy's hair and left the room, heading down the hall to where a small cupboard was located. He gently tapped on the door. When there was no immediate answer, he slowly pulled open the door and was not surprised at the sight of Kreacher nestled among the blankets and rags that he slept in. Already knowing the outcome, Draco reached out and laid his hand on the elf's small chest, feeling it cold and still. Kreacher's hands were held at his sides, and one contained a roll of parchment, which the wizard carefully extracted and put in his pocket. He then patted the elf's chest awkwardly in farewell and closed the door again. He heard Teddy call for him and hastened back to the kitchen. He washed his hands quickly, then took the plate of pasta from the fridge and warmed it with a charm. Then patiently he fed an eager Teddy while he waited for Harry to get home.

A while later, Teddy had calmed considerably and was slowly munching his way through the rest of his dinner when the sound of the garage door opening had both of the kitchen's residents looking up. A moment passed and the door opened to reveal Harry and Edward. Draco knew he was about to be questioned by the look on Harry's face.

"Kreacher's dead," he said quietly.

A look passed across Harry's face. A faint sadness, but also acceptance. He bit his lip and sighed.  
"Do you know when?"

Draco shrugged and offered the last green bean to Teddy, who chewed it and then slowly pulled half of it back out of his mouth to carefully wipe across his own shirt. "It couldn't have been long after we left that he felt the pull. Enough time to make sure Teddy would be safe until we got back, but he never gave him supper."

Edward looked perplexed. "Why is the couch out of place?" He zipped over to it and with a simple motion replaced it where its footprints were.

"When a wizard, or an elf, dies, any magic that he has cast will be cancelled. That's why Lucius' barrier dropped when he did. Kreacher knew that stasis or locking charms wouldn't last, so Teddy could have gotten into anything- pulled lamps down or opened doors that he shouldn't. It looks like he made a barrier as best he could." Draco explained, then added, "Potter, he wrote a letter."

"Did you open it?"

"It's for his master. That's you."

The Gryffindor took the parchment offered to him and ran his fingers through Teddy's hair, lulling the child, while he ripped the seal and began to read.

_ "Master,_

_Kreacher deeply regrets leaving you at such a time. The presence of Death has been drawing closer each day, and it has now arrived. The child is safe, though Kreacher is concerned that it will be hungry and sad for tonight. Kreacher has tried his best and has prepared the boy a snack and some juice, though Kreacher is now very tired. His magic is slow. He could not summon the child's pen from the second floor and could not climb the steps to fetch it. Death arrives suddenly and works quickly, but Kreacher is not afraid._

_In many years, Master Harry, when you are ready to leave this world, Kreacher hopes for you to meet Master Regulus. Kreacher is happy and ready to see him again._

_With luck, the elder Malfoy will be defeated this evening. Kreacher is so proud to have served a noble master for these years._

_Forever in your service."_

There was a scrawled symbol that concluded the note, and Harry ran his finger gently over it. It was the rune for 'servant', interlocked with that for 'friend,' and it had been hastily marked as a signature.  
Rather touched, "I didn't know Kreacher could write," was all Harry could say.  
"I doubt that he could," Draco replied. "He probably used his last magic to compose it."

Harry wet his lips. "I think I knew it was coming," he said. "He was just… old. I don't really feel sad, or surprised. Just a little, hollow, maybe."

Edward squeezed his boyfriend's shoulder.

Draco stood from the table, nodding. "I feel the same way." He stretched, touching his newly healed side carefully. "I'm going to join Jacob. I really just want to be with him and sleep right now, ok?"

"Of course. See you in the morning." Harry pulled a now snoozing Teddy from his seat and hefted him into his arms. "Draco, Kreacher _is_in his nest-thing, right?"

"No, Potter. I left him sprawled across the entryway and didn't say anything," the blond muttered sarcastically. "Yes he's in is cupboard." He took the steps two at a time, then slowed again. "You're not… going to behead him, are you?"

Harry looked up at his friend, aghast. "Ugh. _No_. I'll bury him tomorrow. I'll let you know when."

"mhm."

When Draco disappeared at the first landing, Edward turned to Harry. "Why don't you go get ready for bed and I'll take him for you?"

"If you don't mind," Harry told him.

"You know I don't. Without Kreacher around, you know you can always ask me for help, right? And well, I'm hoping that we can get to the point in our relationship where me taking care of Teddy isn't because you're asking me for a favor. I want to be able to feed him lunch like it's normal or entertain him when he needs it, just because I can and because I'm here for him… and you."

Harry smiled and passed the sleeping baby over to his boyfriend's arms. "I love you," the wizard told him.

"Love you too."

"You can take care of him like that, if that's what you want. I mean, don't just take him out or something without telling me, and don't like, _run _with him, because he'd probably be sick, and you have to be careful to not-

"Harrison, why don't you just tell me what I_ can_do?"

The Gryffindor smiled sheepishly. "Sorry." He rubbed Teddy's back. "You can go change him and put him to bed while I go to my room. Poor thing's probably going to have an awful rash tomorrow. Thank Merlin we can go back to using magic though. It'll heal up quick. Just be gentle."

Edward leaned over and kissed Harry briefly. "Of course."

The couple walked up the stairs together and separated when Edward entered Teddy's nursery and Harry walked a bit further to his own room. The vampire expertly changed Teddy, who was beyond exhausted and didn't even squirm let alone protest throughout the entire thing. When he was finally snug in a sleeper and placed in his crib, Edward ran his finger along the child's cheek and smiled when the boy wrinkled his nose.

"Sleep tight, Little One," Edward said gently, and he ducked out of the room and into Harry's.

He found his boyfriend under the covers of the large bed, smelling of mint toothpaste and dressed in only a pair of sweatpants. Edward quickly stripped out of the outfit that he bore until he was dressed in a pair of boxer-briefs, before slipping in alongside Harry. A charm was cast to keep out the chill and the wizard pressed his back into Edward's torso, comfortably taking the roll of the little spoon.  
Edward's arm wrapped over his side and their hands entwined in front of Harry's chest. In the darkness of the room, Harry played with the strong fingers that he held and just laid there quietly.

"I'm glad you want to be a family with us," he finally murmured into the still air.

"Me too," Edward replied, his chest rumbling against Harry's back.

"Do you still want to hear my thoughts sometimes?" Harry asked, brushing his thumb over Edward's knuckles.

"I think about it," Edward admitted after a moment. "Not because I want to be nosy, but because not once in a hundred years was there a person that I couldn't read, and then here you came. And I love you, even without knowing what goes on in your mind. But still I wonder what you think about, what your dreams are like. I think about how it could come in handy when you aren't talking to me," he finished with a joke in his tone.

Harry smiled. He rested his head completely against the pillow beneath him and closed his eyes, focusing on his occlumency shields. Piece by piece he broke them down until he felt himself become increasingly drowsy and his eyelids felt heavy and gritty. Behind him, Edward became incredibly still, ceasing the unnecessary breaths that were habit to him.

Thoughts, Harry's thoughts, swirled and rushed to him. He heard whispers of Harry's anxieties and fears that were the undercurrent to the thoughts of love and contentment that were radiating most prominently. Grief played its part as a portion of Harry's mind mourned for the deceased house elf and wondered how Draco was truly handling being his own father's killer.  
As all the thoughts came to Edward, he considered them without delving deeper than was polite and he allowed himself to become familiar with the experience of hearing his boyfriend. Quickly though, the thoughts became thin and runny, similar to the transmissions the vampire tended to receive from his classmates during calculus or study hall.  
The vampire centered himself, kicking up the rhythmic respiration that made him feel normal as he relaxed into the bed. Harry's breaths had become very deep, the slight snore that he denied buzzed softly in the quiet room. Edward readjusted his gentle grip on Harry's fingers and settled in for the night, listening to Harry's dreams for the first time.

* * *

Note: Thar ya go, laddies and lasses. Hope you weren't too disappointed that Kreacher's death wasn't some epic by-product of Lucius'. (Though I considered something like that for a while.) I want Edward to have a more familial role in Harry's life, and I felt like Kreacher might infringe on that. Remember I'm trying to stick with the theme of Edward has someone who can bring some balance into Harry's life to prevent the wizard from feeling like the whole world is on him. So, sorry... but I wanted Kreacher dead. Sob, I really did like him :'(  
Next few chapters should be up some time before the next millennium. Sooner rather than later though. Please review!


	43. Chapter 43

_A/N: _Hey everyone! Thanks for putting up with my crazy attempts to schedule this fic. Two more chapters (44 and 45) and this baby will be done! THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT! Please review :) Also, still looking for an artist to make something beautiful for this story! ***Disclaimer**, don't own anything.* ***Warning**, more sexual content than usual ahead- also mentions the concept of rape without it happening*

* * *

Edward stared up at the ceiling of Harry's bedroom, watching the color lighten as sunlight began spilling into the room. Teddy was still snoozing in the adjoining room, schedule awry after his past-midnight dinner. Edward was hoping he'd be able to get the almost-toddler downstairs and settled before any crying could awaken Harry. (Or Draco and Jacob for that matter.) The black haired wizard beside him groaned something unintelligible and rolled over, his face now pressed into the juncture of Edward's shoulder and neck. The vampire shifted his head so that the shock of wild bed-head wasn't in his nose or mouth. He ran his fingers down Harry's arm and back, keeping him close and comfortable. Harry's dreams had been frequent and chaotic that night, flitting between a variety of scenes and people, all of which intrigued Edward as he listened for the first time. He learned, though he hadn't doubted, that Harry thought of him even in dreams. Twice the wizard dreamt of his boyfriend at his grand piano, gentle melodies flowing endlessly. Edward decided that he needed to play for the gryffindor again soon. It had been a while.

Speaking of having been a while, Edward would have blushed if he could as he heard Harry's subconscious shift again. Harry tended to wake up hard most mornings, as many men did, but Edward had never considered the fact that sometimes it might have been dream-induced. The last time he had been in this situation, he and Harry's relationship was fairly new. Now, though...  
Edward rolled slightly toward his boyfriend and wedged his thigh between Harry's legs before shifting upward slowly to create friction. He smiled as he felt Harry begin to wake up. He rolled the rest of the way over until he hovered, bracing himself on his hands, above a now dozy Harry Potter.

Those green eyes blinked open as Edward rocked his hips upward again and Harry gasped.  
"Good morning," he whispered lazily.  
"Mmm," Edward agreed, lowering his head to kiss at Harry's neck and shoulder.

The wizard tilted back, allowing the ministrations and pressing back gently with his hips in a fairly consistent rhythm.  
"Hmm, wait, wait," Harry whined as their pace picked up a bit.  
Edward pushed the blanket that covered them down to the bottom of the bed as Harry wriggled out of his sleep pants and underwear. He then reached over and pushed Edward's briefs down to mid-thigh before some extra touching may have gotten him too distracted to continue removing them.  
"Enough," Edward told him quietly, and he pressed the wizard back onto his pillow again. Harry relaxed, bringing his hands up to tangle into the hair at the nape of Edward's neck, tugging him closer. Edward kissed him, feeling the smile against his lips as his hips began to pump again.

When Harry was in the shower, Edward wandered to the closet to see if any of his clothes were left there. He found a pair of jeans and a plain t-shirt, which he tugged on before knocking on the bathroom door.

"Harrison," he called through the wood.  
"Just come in," the Brit called back.  
"I shouldn't," the vampire told him with a chuckle. "I'm going to hunt and then drop by home for a bit to change. I'll be back soon."  
"I'll just have to pretend while you're gone," Harry said teasingly.  
"_Shit,_" Edward thought. Harry never said things like that.  
"Um, ok," he said back. As he opened the window to climb out, Harry intentionally flooded his mind with new thoughts, snickering all the while as Edward forced himself not to go back and rip down the bathroom door.

Jacob woke up when the tingling 'pins and needles' feeling in his left hand became unbearable. He blinked awake, feeling the warmth of Draco behind him. The two always seemed to awake back-to-back, which they laughed about privately- neither would concede to be the small spoon throughout the entire night and they inevitably rolled over halfway through their sleep. Regardless, they held each other close each night that they spent together and pulled themselves back together in the morning, greeting one another sleepily.

Jake carefully uncurled and stretched his fingers. The skin felt tight, like a taut rubber band and he hesitantly curled one hand over the other to press his knuckles. With a satisfying 'pop,' he felt the blood circulation flow and feeling rushed back. He repeated the action on the other hand, eliciting another series of snaps that rent the air. Satisfied with the way he had healed, the Quileute rolled over and slid his arm around Draco's side, crossing it on an angle so that his elbow was on the wizard's hip and his hand rested on a pale shoulder, stroking the smooth skin gently. He comfortably tugged his boyfriend closer and breathed deeply into the almost-white hair in his face.

He didn't know if he would ever mention to Draco how scared he had been the night before; when (for a millisecond that he hated) he questioned whether he would be killed at his imprint's own hand. He squeezed his eyes shut and breathed again, then moved his hand up Draco's chest to settle over his heart. It thudded gently.  
He smiled when he felt Draco squirm and wake up. He shuffled backward to give the blonde enough room to roll over to face him and then entwined their fingers on the bed between them.

"Are you… okay?" He finally asked, his voice hoarse from sleep and keeping his tone low.

Draco nodded. He then pushed forward and caught up Jacob's mouth in a quiet kiss, carefully massaging the other's upper lip between his. "I'm so glad you're here," he said when he pulled back again.

Jacob didn't know what to make of that. Was Draco glad that he, Jacob, was here _presently_ in his (Draco's) bed? That he was here for Draco? Or possibly, the wizard was as relieved as the Quileute was that Jake was _here_… that he was _alive_.

Jake licked his lips and swallowed. "Me too," he answered.

Trying to escape that line of thought, Jacob dropped Draco's hand and ran his fingers along the torso beside him. His fingers stopped when they reached the wizard's boxers and then dipped just past them. Draco's breath hitched but he shuffled backward, causing the fingers to slip from their place beneath the elastic. Jacob looked surprised and hurt.

"I- I'm, sorry," Draco said. "I'm okay. But I just don't really feel like having sex right now, Jacob." He leaned over and kissed his boyfriend on the temple before moving away to sit on the edge of the bed, facing away from him. Jake stood awkwardly and nodded.

"It's ok. I'm just going to shower then, alright?"  
"Whatever."  
The werewolf huffed at that blunt answer. "Do you want me to leave?" he asked confusedly.

"No!" Draco immediately answered. "No, I just. I just…" The wizard suddenly became angry and he stood up, bare chest heaving once as he breathed out heavily through his nose.  
"I just want you to be here, with me, and not have to let you_ fuck_ me 20 minutes after I wake up Jake! Is that okay with you? Apparently not! You can't be content to just have breakfast or have a_ chat_ today without kicking everything off with a shag? I don't always have to-" he was cut off as Jacob pushed him firmly with both hands, causing him to crash back hard into the bedroom wall. Razor yowled at the werewolf, who growled at him, making the panther cub hide back in the blankets at the foot of the bed where he slept.

The two boyfriends stared at each other with gritted teeth.

"I cannot _believe_ you just said that to me," Jacob said quietly, backing away. "I've heard you say a lot of fucked up things, but I _cannot_ believe you just said that about me," he repeated. He shook his head, looking at Draco as if he had never seen him before.  
"I'm going to go shower. You should go downstairs and drink one of those calming draughts."

He turned away from the wizard, who was still leaning heavily against the wall, and started to walk away before spinning around again and talking very loudly and firmly, pointing a finger in Draco's face.  
"You can't just say things like that, Draco. Accuse me of being like that and make me out like I'm some sort of rapist! You know damn well I'd never do that to you and when you said '_no_' I fucking said '_ok_'." He lowered his hand, his nose twitching in anger as he breathed.

Immediately, Draco was in tears. Not sobbing, or even crying really- just steady rivulets of tears streaking down the creases between his cheeks and nose and across his face. He palmed his face, covering his eyes and nose, splaying his fingers as he continued to break down. "I didn't mean it," he said miserably. "I don't know what's wrong with me."

"You're pretty messed up right now, I think," Jacob said firmly. "And while I want to fix you when I see you upset like this, I'm really bothered by what you just said to me and I don't really feel like holding you right now. Go take that potion. I'm going to go shower." He walked away.

Draco mumbled something indistinct through his fingers.

"What?"

"I said I love you," Draco said more clearly. He sniffed his nose loudly and wiped the wetness from his cheeks to look up at Jacob. His eyes were red but clear. "That's all."

Jake nodded. "Love you too Babe," he said shortly. Draco could hear the hurt in his voice and flinched at the silence in the room that came when the bathroom door closed.

Edward swiped a thumb at the corner of his lips, knowing that there would be nothing straying there, but checking nonetheless. He was a polite hunter and rarely made a mess of his meals. He had some respect for the animals that kept him thriving. Brushing his hands down the front of his jeans and tshirt to straighten any wrinkles and brush away any debris, he oriented himself and took off in the direction of the Cullen home. When he arrived, he pulled open the front door and wandered through the downstairs to interact with his family before heading up to his room.

"Hello Edward," Esme greeted him. He kissed her on the cheek and smiled. "Hi."  
"Carlisle wants to speak with you,"  
"I know."

He entered his own room and tugged a folder from its place on a cramped shelf. He rifled through its contents before finding a series of staff-lined paper, covered in handwritten notes and markings. Checking to make sure that he had it all, he folded over the sheaf of papers, tucked it into his back pocket, and replaced the folder on the shelf. Then, grabbing a pen that he placed behind his ear, he made his way down the hall to Carlisle's study.

The elder vampire looked up from the book he was studying from and smiled softly, knowingly.

"Well?" He lead.

"I'm sorry, Carlisle," Edward said, holding his arms out to his sides, his palms up. "I never planned to abandon our family. In the past decades, nothing like this ever crossed my mind- I never expected anything like this to happen, you have to know that."

Carlisle sighed. "I do know that. We assumed, foolishly in hindsight, that when you met your mate he would join us. Just as I turned Esme and Rosalind turned Emmett. But Edward, we all make sacrifices in our lifetimes. And when the gain seems greater than what we lose, it doesn't hurt as much, but-  
"It still hurts, Carlisle," Edward cut in swiftly. "Leaving you all will be the hardest thing I ever do, regardless of how happy being with Harry makes me. Going with him isn't the 'greater' choice to me, but it _is_the only one. I can't leave him. And I won't turn him."

"I know," Carlisle told him quietly.  
_  
_"Harry and Draco want to be back in England for the start of June. There's a remembrance ceremony they need to attend." Edward said aloud. "School lets out in 24 days. We'll leave soon after that."

The elder clapped the younger on the shoulder. For all intents and purposes, this was his son. "In a few years," he said, "we'll need to relocate again. Perhaps we'll find something closer to you in England."

Edward nodded. "I'll be with Harrison though, you understand that? I want a life with him. Visits are of course expected, but we are going to be our own family."

"I wish you all the best," Carlisle said earnestly. Edward grinned. "Thank you."  
He turned to go, mentioning that they should all go hunting together and maybe play a game of baseball before he left them, but Carlisle caught him again as he left the room.

"Edward," he said awkwardly. "I know you don't want to think about it, but down the road… I mean, eventually, when the time comes, you _could _come back to us, you know. You'd always be welcome."

Edward shook his head no.

"Harry's a wizard, Carlisle. He'll live a decently long while. But when he dies, I'm not going to wander around this planet without him. I'll go too, whatever it takes. I will plan on something. I mean it when I say I want a lifetime with him. I want nothing longer than that without him."

The doctor nodded in acceptance despite the questions that muddled his mind. "I believe you. I know that's what you've always wanted. Good luck, Edward."

"Thank you." He embraced the man- his savior and mentor, and patted him on the back in gratitude.

When he arrived at house, Edward found Harry at the kitchen table looking decidedly less chipper than how he had left him.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

Harry lowered his voice. "Draco and Jacob just had a _really_ intense argument," he muttered. "Any second now Draco will-"  
there was a thumping of footsteps on the stairs and Draco came around the corner into the kitchen, apparently oblivious to the tension in the room that he had created. He swung open the potions cabinet and reached in blindly, scrambling when his fingers didn't find a vial immediately and breathing harshly in frustration. He slammed his knee violently into the door of a lower cupboard and shouted at it.  
"FUCK!"

Harry jumped up from his seat. "Hey, hey!" he said gently, putting his hands on his friend's shoulders and directing him to a chair.  
_"Accio," _a potion slipped into his hand. He uncorked it and passed it to the blond who was trembling- either in anger or upset. He swigged the potion and buried his face, the shape of his body visibly relaxing.

"He hates me," he said pathetically to the wood of the table.

"Shhh, no," Harry consoled, keeping one hand on the Slytherin's shoulder and sitting beside him at the table. "You didn't mean it."

"But I said it, how could I say that to him?" Draco sounded shattered. He either didn't realize or didn't care that Harry had heard the entire argument.

"You were stressed," Harry offered.

"I shouldn't be!" Draco answered, affronted. "Why should I be? Everything's fine now, and I helped fix it! I've been wanting this so badly for months and now it's done and I should feel great!"

"No, Draco," Harry said calmly, shaking his head. "I know the situation was horrendous, and I know the life he made you live, but regardless, you killed your own father… don't you think there would be something wrong if you truly felt great?"

Draco breathed in, shuddering. "No," he admitted. "It's never felt great. Every time it happened, it made me sick. I'd carve the next tally in my wand and feel like I was splintering something inside me- my,

"your soul." Harry finished for him. "Killing is unnatural. It makes you thin, worn. It rips you apart. Voldemort stopped feeling that pain the more he killed. He took advantage of the ripped pieces and shed them elsewhere until there wasn't anything humane left in him. But you've still got all those pieces- they're just strained. You'll feel better eventually, Draco. We all will."

Edward, trying to be useful, slipped a cup of tea across the table to the blond wizard, who accepted it gratefully. He sipped at it and then put it back down.

"It's really hard to hate you when you're right all the time, Potter," he grumbled good-naturedly.

Harry grinned. "It's a gift."

Draco breathed a wet-sounding laugh and wiped bracingly at his eyes and cheeks with both hands.

"What time do you want to bury Kreacher?" He asked, changing the subject.

"I'll wait til Teddy gets up. I figure I ought to try to explain it to him."

"Really?" Draco asked, surprised. "Thought you'd want to shelter him a bit."

Harry shook his head. "There's nothing morbid about it, in this case. Dumbledore always said not to fear death- it's just the next great adventure. Besides, I don't want him too sheltered; I remember the Dursleys telling Dudley that just about all his pets 'went on vacation' up until the time we were around 12. I'm not telling Teddy something untrue, like that his house-elf ran away or something."

"Wisdom again" Draco conceded with a nod of his head.

"Why thank you," Harry smiled. He then looked up. "Edward?"

"Yes?"

"Where's _my_cup of tea?"

Edward looked startled. "Oh! I didn't realize you'd want one! I just thought I'd do something helpful, so I made Draco…"

Harry and Draco laughed at his flustering. "Don't worry about it," the Gryffindor said teasingly. "I'll re-heat the kettle myself." And he did so with a flick of his wand.

Later, Jacob descended from the upstairs and cautiously poked his head into the kitchen, as if to test the temperature of the room.

"Hey," Draco greeted him, drinking again from his cup of tea.

"Hey, Babe," Jacob answered quietly.

"Edward and I are going to go wake up Teddy," Harry said aloud. "He shouldn't sleep any longer or he'll never nap."

He grabbed his boyfriend's hand and his cup of tea and led the way out of the room, leaving the other couple to talk.

As they ascended the steps, they met Viktor Krum and several other members of the guard on their way down, presumably for breakfast.  
"Er, no, you don't want to do that," Harry warned, directing them back up the stairs.

"Why not?"

Harry sighed. "Well, which would you rather _not _walk in on: a very uncomfortable but emotional conflict resolution session, or a slow and sexy make-up in the kitchen that we all have to use?"

There were several sets of wide eyes and understanding expressions as the wizards turned tail and fled back up the steps.

"I'll have Kreacher bring you… I mean, I'll send something upstairs for you when the coast is clear, Gentlemen," Harry called after them.

He and Edward got walked down the hall at the second floor landing. "Go finish your tea," Edward offered, gesturing for Harry to enter his own room. "I'll take care of him." Harry smiled and pressed up on his toes to brush a simple kiss to Edward's lips.  
"Thank you."  
"Of course."

The vampire entered the nursery swiftly, knowing that his light footsteps wouldn't be enough to wake the sleeping boy. He reached over the railing of the crib and laid his hand on the small back that was slightly damp with sweat from sleeping. He rubbed small circles.  
"Teddy," he called quietly. "Time to wake up, Little Man." Teddy's legs scrunched up under himself, pushing his butt up into the air and causing the small blanket that covered him to slip off. He whined as he blinked his eyes open but Edward scooped him up before he could begin to cry in earnest.

"Come on, Teddy," the vampire crooned into his ear calmly. "Let's get you ready for the day."

He laid the boy down on the changing mat and buckled him in so he wouldn't roll away in his drowsy state. He then effectively stripped the child and tossed the used diaper into the trash before cleaning the boy down with a wet cloth that he fetched from the bathroom. After making sure he was dry and clean, he expertly fitted a new diaper on the boy, pinning his kicking legs and pulling the tabs into place. Satisfied that Teddy was now awake, he unbuckled the little wizard and placed him on his feet on the carpeted floor.

"What would you like to wear today?"

Teddy blinked up at him.

"Should you have a shirt?"

"No." Teddy waddled across the room and reached his arm between the bars of his crib. He wrapped his fingers around the well-loved Moony toy and pulled it out, tucking it close to his side.

"Should you put on some pants?" Edward tried again when the little eyes looked up at him.

"No," Teddy answered simply. He shook his head for emphasis, which caused the soft brown hair on his head to flop around

"Well, you can't be naked," Edward informed him.

"Uh-huh," Teddy told him happily and patted the front of his diaper as if this was all that mattered. "Dat's good," he told the vampire, and he plopped himself down on the ground to play with the stuffed wolf.

"I don't think so," Edward laughed at his tiny personality and rifled through the dressers for a shirt that would entice the child.

"How about a blue shirt with a nice dog?" He asked, sounding energetic.

Teddy looked up, eyes wide and excited. "Heh-heh," he panted with his tongue hanging out, imitating a dog.

"Right! Come put it on!"

Teddy eagerly stood and toddled to Edward, raising his arms above his head. The shirt was easily slipped on and Moony was picked up tenderly from his place on the floor.

"Now how about some pants?" Edward asked him.

"No." Teddy, with all the authority that he could possess, made his way out the door of the nursery and down the hall to Harry's room, his chubby little legs marching and diaper rustling beneath the blue t-shirt. Moony was still tucked possessively under one arm. Edward followed the little wizard, knowing that he could easily scoop him up, but finding the situation too fun to ruin.

"Hi, Mini-Moony!" Edward heard Harry greet the child as Teddy wandered into the bedroom. The vampire followed a pace behind and gave his boyfriend a bashful smile when the greeting was followed with "Where are your pants?"

"No," was all Teddy said as he reached his arms for his godfather to pick him up. Harry did so, standing from his desk where he had been finishing his tea and speaking to Anaklusmos. Balancing the toddler on his hip Harry smiled at Edward. "He's too friggin cute, right?"  
"Yes."  
"I'll charm some pants onto him after he eats his breakfast. They'd probably wind up covered in syrup or something anyway."

They played games with Teddy and read him "_Llama Llama Red Pajama_" before he pointed at his stomach and declared "Juice, pwease."

Harry checked his watch. "We've given them enough time, right? Are they done?"

Edward shrugged. "Draco warbled all the sound coming from them. I don't know what they're doing."

"We'll brave it then." Harry decided. "They can't hog the kitchen all day."

The three went back downstairs and found Draco and Jacob eating breakfast. Beneath the table, Jacob's left foot was entwined at the ankle with Draco's right.

"This came through the Floo a moment ago," Draco told Harry, pushing a paper across the table to him.  
Harry read it.

_ "Expect me at 11, be decent. –Kingsley"  
_  
"'Be Decent'?" Harry asked.

"He probably thinks we roll around naked or something." Draco deadpanned.

"Not in front of the _Floo,"_ Harry argued back without thinking.  
The Slytherin raised an eyebrow. Harry glared at him. He strapped Teddy into his high chair and opened the fridge for some apple juice. When he had a sippy cup prepared he placed it on Teddy's tray and set to work spelling fruit and cereal on their way upstairs to the guard. Edward was scrambling an egg already at the stove and they passed each other flawlessly, completely in tune to one another.  
"It's 10:56," Jake announced. Draco, who had finished eating, pushed his plate back and stood. "I'll go change, be right back."  
He disapperated, presumably to his bedroom, and Jacob stacked their dishes. Moments later, Draco reappeared with a snap, looking much more put-together and ready for the day. Finding the table cleared, he kissed his boyfriend and dragged him by the collar into the living room.

Teddy, who by now had made a mess of the egg that Edward had prepared, clacked his spoon against his tray and wiggled. "Down!" he called.

"Two more bites," Edward told him before Harry even could, and the boy looked up at him. "Two more bites," the vampire repeated, taking the spoon and scooping a small bit of egg onto it. He offered it to Teddy, who opened his mouth and took the bite obediently. One more and Edward released the child from his chair. After a quick cleaning charm from his godfather, the toddler took off into the living room after Draco and Jacob.

Harry grinned. "Have I told you lately that I love you?"

"mmmhm," Edward said smugly. "And you showed me rather spectacularly earlier this morning as well."

"I try," Harry said loftily.

"You succeed."

He tugged the wizard to him and kissed him before breaking it off. "Could I bother you for another Deodor-Ant? I ditched mine in the woods when I went hunting."

"Can't resist me?" Harry asked sarcastically. He summoned the canister from somewhere in the house and shook out another little bug into his palm.

"Well between you and the baby and the dog in the house…"

"Mean." Harry stuck out his tongue, but tucked the device into Edward's front pocket.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

The rush of the Floo alerted them and they too joined the others in the living room to greet Kingsley.

The minister stepped out onto the floor and brushed down his robes and vanished the ash before it ruined the carpet. He glanced, surprised maybe, at Draco and Jacob together on the couch but said nothing. Instead he offered his hand in turn to each of the men gathered there and greeted them.

"I apologize for not coming last night- the time difference made things complicated. As a matter of fact the news has only just leaked now, front page of the _Evening Prophet_, people should be reading it as we speak."

He untucked his newspaper from under his arm and passed it to Harry. The Gryffindor waved his wand over it to make a double and passed one to Draco, who sat up from his slouch against Jacob and took it with both hands. The cover page featured Lucius' Azkaban photo- his fuller face sneering and tossing his head as he held a series of numbers and runes on the placard in front of his chest. Sharing front page space was a photograph taken of Draco in the summer after 5th year; it was something the paparazzi had snapped when his father was on trial and apparently the only decent photograph of the pureblood that the media possessed. In it, the young blond fiddled anxiously with the knot of his tie before spotting the camera and making an angry face.

"Nice scowl," Jacob muttered sarcastically. Draco glared at him.

The headline was bizarre and stretched across the page above the images. It read  
** "Pureblood Patricide." **And beneath that,  
_ "Mind Your Elders (Or don't): Draco Hailed for the Murder of His Father, Azkaban Escapee Lucius Malfoy."  
_  
"Well, that's it in black and white, I suppose. I'm a murderer again." Draco said, and he folded the paper so his father's face would stop blinking up at him.

"No charges to be concerned about. However when you return, you'll need to make an appointment at Gringotts. When Lucius escaped the Goblins froze everything other than your personal vault- but with his death they will want to discuss properties and payments with you, as you are now the head and only heir to that line."

"I'll be back on the thirtieth. I'll go to Gringotts as soon as I've settled in. Thank you."

"I feel that I should tell you, your father was buried at noon- beside your mother as you requested."

Draco nodded.

"This article is intriguing, Kingsley- politely vague and yet informative. Our location still hasn't leaked?" Harry questioned.

"Well, as you can see, the press has rightly assumed that the two of you are with each other, though they have apparently overseen the fact that you left before Lucius' escape and now believe that you set off in order to hunt him down." Kingsley told him, shaking his head.

"Wow," Jake commented. "The media is woolly no matter where you go, huh?"

"If you make it sound probable, people believe it. But you know what they will not believe? That two of England's most eligible bachelors are returning from America very much taken." Kingsley smirked at the two couples. "And I refuse to run interference with the paparazzi when that one leaks," he laughed.

"You suck, Kingsley," Harry told him.

"You're _stuck, _Shingsey!" Teddy mimicked from the ground. Harry clapped a hand over his own mouth, either to hold in a laugh or reprimand himself for bad language.

"Teddy, you really are getting big," Kingsley commented, bending down to pick up the little boy.

Teddy grabbed at his hat.

"Listen Kingsley, Kreacher passed last night. He was just old. We're going to bury him, would you stay?"

"Of course, I'll pay my respects to the fellow," Kingsley agreed.

Sometime later, Jacob was carefully shoveling fresh dirt to form a small mound where Kreacher's body lay. There hadn't been any words or pomp, but Harry had a feeling that such a thing would have made the elf very unhappy in his lifetime.

From the woods, Edward emerged with a football-sized rock that Draco charmed clean. With careful precision, Harry carved "KREACHER, LOYAL TO THE END" into it and placed the rock at the base of the mound.  
Jacob leaned the shovel against the side of a nearby tree and sat down on the grass. Draco joined him, settling between his boyfriend's knees.  
Kingsley held Teddy, who seemed solemn, and the wizard was explaining gently that Kreacher wouldn't be around to babysit anymore, but that he had loved taking care of Teddy very much.

"The big ears?" Teddy asked, putting his hand on the minister's face.  
"Yes, Kreacher had big ears."  
"Nose?" Teddy touched his own with his pointer finger.  
"Yes, he had a nose too."  
"Ok."

Harry approached the two and smiled softly. "Do you want to say bye-bye, Ted?"

Teddy glanced over at the dirt where he had watched them bury Kreacher. "Bye-Bye." He waved, and his hair turned mousy grey.

"Don't be sad, Little Guy," Harry brushed his cheek with his thumb. "Kreacher was happy."  
"Happy."  
"That's right."

Edward joined them and reached for Teddy, who went to him with no complaint. "I'll take him inside for a snack."

"Ok," Harry agreed. "Kingsley, is there a charm or spell that would prevent something from disrupting the grave? Not like a stasis charm, I don't want to stop the grass from growing or anything… "  
Kingsley nodded. "There is, it goes like this..." he drew his wand and explained the incantation while Harry watched carefully.

"You're going back on the thirtieth?" Jacob asked quietly, massaging his boyfriend's shoulders with his strong hands.

Draco sighed. "I don't belong here, Jacob," he answered.

"I don't either, then." The Quileute stated firmly.

Draco leaned back slightly, looking at him over his shoulder and was caught up in a kiss. When Jake pulled back again, lingering on Draco's bottom lip, he closed his eyes.

"I've known for months that I want to go back with you. The only thing tying me here is the pack, but they already belong to Sam. All I'd have to do is say the word."

"Your father-"

Jake interrupted him. "Billy texted me this morning."

"Oh?"

Jake fished his phone from his pocket and swiped through the screen to the conversation that he sought. "Look what he sent me."

The little green bubble held a few words followed by a long web address in blue. Billy had written  
"I love you, Son. Congratulations."  
Draco tapped the link and waited for the screen to redirect to a website. (_articles/24957/gay-marriage-uk-country-passes-same-sex-marriage-bill-america-falls-behind_)

Finally, the site, which was a newspage, loaded. Draco read it, scrolling rapidly through the article and eyes widening. "Jacob," he said softly.

"This is huge. Historic, really. So, he's really just waiting for the day I tell him that I'm leaving," the werewolf explained. "And I know I'm young- I can finish school in England and get a job, maybe take some university classes… just because I leave Washington doesn't mean that I won't have a life. But if you leave me here, I think that would kill me."

"Don't say things like that," Draco said before seizing Jake in another kiss, wrapping his fingers into the hair at the back of his head.

"Ok," Draco decided when he pulled away. "I'm here for only a little more than 20 days. When will you tell him?"  
Jacob's eyes bugged. "Well, school ends this Friday. Why don't you come over for our end of the year bonfire. We'll all talk then."

The next day in school was strange. Harry and Draco kept waiting for some sign that _someone _knew what happened the other night, but it seemed they had truly succeeded in carrying out the capture right under everyone's noses. In the locker room they dressed quickly, listening to all the male chatter about who got how far with whom and how awesome the prom night had been.

Mike approached the two wizards with a grin. "So how about you two, yeah?" he asked, waggling his eyebrows.  
"Er, sorry?" Harry asked as he slipped his sneakers on.  
"Did you get anywhere with your dates? I got sick, hardly remember any of the night because my fever was so bad, so I didn't score anything, and I guess I'll have to live vicariously through the rest of the student body, but you guys looked so nice! I'm so glad you were able to dance at prom with the ones you love."

Draco raised an eyebrow, very confused. "Thanks, Newton," he finally answered slowly. "But our relationships are our own."

Mike nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, _totally_! Of course, it's your business. You don't have to do anything you don't want to do. I'm just happy for you. I'm so glad we're such good friends." He was still grinning, nodding without end. From behind him, Edward approached in his phys-ed clothes.

"Mike, coach says the first six guys out only have to run half the day's laps. You look like you're dressed, you should head out."

"I'm _there_! Thanks!" Mike turned and bolted out the door, one shoe on and carrying the other, his shirt on backward.

The wizards and Edward followed him at a sedate pace, allowing the heavy locker room door to slam shut behind them.

"What was _that_?" Harry asked.  
"Cheering charm," the answer was supplied. Bill was leaning against the opposite wall in the hallway. "It will wear off soon. He's kind of a lightweight I guess. Dedalus swore he didn't give him a strong one but he should be fine by tonight or tomorrow. 48 hours and all that." The wizard winked and continued to patrol the halls.

"huh," Harry exclaimed. "Knocked the homophobia right out of him."  
"Go figure," Draco shrugged.

Once outside on the track, Draco took off while Harry and Edward jogged side by side. Harry wished the weather wasn't so overcast. He was really hoping for some sunshine.

"What's wrong?" Edward asked him. The wizard had replaced his occlumency shields that morning, unwilling to face the mass of students without them in place.

"Just missing the sun," Harry answered. "My favorite thing about the end of the school year has always been the last few weeks, when you can look out the window and just _feel _the summer. In primary school, I loved it because summer meant outside chores and I didn't have to spend time indoors with my aunt or cousin. At Hogwarts, we would have picnics down by the lake or play a game of quidditch and you didn't need extra gloves or warming charms or anything." He smiled as he continued to jog. Edward watched him and smiled at his happiness. "Can I come over after school? I have something for you."

"Are you ever not allowed at my house, Edward?" Harry laughed.  
Edward huffed. "A gentleman should always ask permission…" he said loftily.  
"Yes, I would be honored if you would grace my home with your presence after school. Would you like a ride?"  
"On your bike?" the vampire asked sounding surprised.

"It's what I drove today. We could squish."  
"I think we'd look a little silly."  
"I could expand it," the wizard offered.  
"Just drive yourself, Harrison," Edward said finally. "I'll need to stop home anyway to get something, and I'll meet you there."  
"You'll probably beat me, too."  
"Of course I will." Edward grinned.  
"So what do you have for me?"

"A song I've been working on," Edward admitted. "I wrote the chords and had an idea for a melody ages ago, but I've been trying to find the right lyrics to fit it. I finished it last night."

"Did I inspire you?" Harry asked teasingly.

Edward slowed his jog to a stop, forcing Harry to do so too. "Of course," he said, and he brushed Harry's unruly hair off his lightly sweating forehead. He ran his hand down a flushed red cheek and kissed him tenderly.

A sharp whistle blew across the field. "Cullen! There's no kissing in a boy's gym class!" A ripple of light-hearted laughter could be heard from around the track. Edward broke the kiss and the two laughed together.

"If he were Newton I'd flip him off," Edward murmured.

Harry grinned and kissed him quickly on the mouth. "Ah," he said as he picked up his jog again. "But that wouldn't be very gentlemanly, would it?" Edward grinned and chased after him.

* * *

Thanks for reading! Please review :) PM me if you can make some art please!

**Song that Edward "wrote" ***  
I'm not writing the whole piano scene, because it's really just going to be Edward being like "these lyrics came to me when you allowed me to hear you for the first time the other night" and then he plays and Harry gets all touched and it's cute. Edward's song that "he wrote" for Harry is _Amazed_ by Lonestar. Less country twang to Edward's voice, and ignore all the instruments except for the piano. Here's a beautiful cover of the piano part: go to youtube and then search  
**/watch?v=SrnL2L6Zcdw**

And here's the lyrics if you don't know them:

_Every time our eyes meet_  
_This feeling inside me_  
_Is almost more than I can take_  
_Baby when you touch me_  
_I can feel how much you love me_  
_And it just blows me away_  
_I've never been this close to anyone or anything_  
_I can hear your thoughts_  
_I can see your dreams_

_I don't know how you do what you do_  
_I'm so in love with you_  
_It just keeps getting better_  
_I wanna spend the rest of my life_  
_With you by my side_  
_Forever and ever_  
_Every little thing that you do_  
_Baby I'm amazed by you_

_The smell of your skin_  
_The taste of your kiss_  
_The way you whisper in the dark_  
_Your hair all around me_  
_Baby you surround me_  
_You touch every place in my heart_  
_Oh it feels like the first time every time_  
_I wanna spend the whole night in your eyes_

_I don't know how you do what you do_  
_I'm so in love with you_  
_It just keeps getting better_  
_I wanna spend the rest of my life_  
_With you by my side_  
_Forever and ever_  
_Every little thing that you do_  
_Baby I'm amazed by you_

_Every little thing that you do_  
_I'm so in love with you_  
_It just keeps getting better_  
_I wanna spend the rest of my life_  
_With you by my side_  
_Forever and ever_  
_Every little thing that you do_  
_Oh, every little thing that you do_  
_Baby I'm amazed by you_


	44. Chapter 44

A/N: This is sort of the last official chapter. Next will be an "epilogue" of sorts that wraps up their trip home, meeting the Weasleys and dealing with Wizardry as well as what happens in the future. Thank you so much for sticking with me through all of this!  
*Disclaimer* I don't own anything. **Please follow me on Tumblr! Perpetuating-Pez  
Make some art for this fic, win recognition! Send me anything you've got!**

* * *

On the last day of school, none of the teachers even pretended to consider doing anything productive. Harry had sampled at least fourteen different batches of homemade brownies, drank enough fruit punch to have him running to the toilets by the start of fourth period, received six United States-themed tchotchkes from random peers, and had had his yearbook stolen and scrawled in so many times that he hoped the one he clutched was still his. Sure enough, as he flipped open the front cover to check, he saw that all of the memos were addressed to him. Each class period was spent passing these books around the room, seeking classmates and instructors that had yet to scribe their well-wishes and scribble their signatures somewhere in the glossy pages of the yearbook. Harry thumbed through to the P's and found his own self. He remembered the day that the picture had been taken- it was before Lucius' escape, before he and Draco had really accustomed themselves to life in Lima; before they had started dating Edward and Jacob, even. He felt older, looking into his own eyes and knowing that the wizard pictured hadn't been expecting any of the circumstances that took place that year.

He backtracked in the book and ran his finger through the rows to the M's. Between "Nyugent, Eugene: grade 9" and "Morris, Jennifer: grade 11" was "Malfoy, Draco: grade 11" Harry smiled. The Draco in the picture looked so tired and lost. He had just been dumped from the world that abused him into a world he had never experienced. Now though, especially in the last few days, the pureblood was hardly to be found without a grin on his face. Harry heard him whistling in the kitchen, _humming _in the shower, and noticed that he had apologized and said "excuse me," when he bumped into pubic-beard-auror on the stairs that very morning.

After a week or so of being emotionally rocky after the death of his father, Draco seemed to have really completed a 180. The night before, the blond had confided to Harry that he and Jacob would be speaking to Billy about their plans to return to England together. Harry wished the two all the luck in the world- he wasn't sure if wizarding Britain could handle a brooding, heartbroken Draco Malfoy. He certainly couldn't. Jacob moving to Europe with Draco would certainly cause a stir among the media, but after seeing the two together no one could ever doubt again that Draco Malfoy had a heart.

Harry shook his head to rid it of thoughts of paparazzi and media attention. He had so few days left to relish in his pseudo-independence that he didn't spend much time thinking ahead. He did wonder though if he should bother with some sort of stated 'coming out,' even to the Weasleys. Maybe if he just started showing up with Edward people would get the hint.

"Hello, Harry," a soft voice interrupted his thoughts as he took a seat in his 6th period class.  
"Angela, hi," he greeted.  
"I was wondering if you'd sign my yearbook? I know you probably wouldn't consider us friends, but I've really enjoyed talking to you and sharing class with you this year."  
Harry smiled at the girl. "Only if you sign mine," he bargained.  
"Deal."

They traded books and Harry fished a pen from his pocket. He rambled something off like _I'll miss our chats during Ms. K's boring lectures_,added an _enjoy your summer, _and signed it with a flourish. Angela took a moment longer before she blew gently on the ink to insure that it was dry and closed Harry's book to give it back to him. "Have a safe trip home, Harry," she told him, and he grinned and thanked her before they went their separate ways to interact with their other classmates.  
He flicked open to the page she had written on and found that she had written quite a lot. It began with an apology for how they had gotten off on the wrong foot that year, joked about a few specific incidents that had occurred throughout the year, and concluded with a thanks for his understanding and genuine personality. She had written _keep in touch!_ At the bottom and neatly printed her email address beside her signature. Harry was genuinely touched. After he began dating Edward, he hadn't spent much time at all communicating or hanging out with the other students in his classes. Sure, they had spoken during class, usually when they weren't supposed to, and occasionally there were conversations in the halls, but he wondered a little if he had wasted an opportunity to really make friends in Forks. He reflected on the trip, realizing how despite a lack of numerous long-lasting friendships, he had gained pen-pals at the least in a few of his classmates, such as Angela. And of course, there were the Cullens, and some of the Quileutes when they came around with Jacob.

"Yo, Harry, d'you have a Facebook?" A kid named Jeremy asked as he handed back the book he had just signed.  
"Er, no, I never made one."  
"You against it?"  
The wizard took a nanosecond to wonder how many wizards or squibs would have access to Facebook. He figured some, but not all.  
"Not particularly."  
"Well, if you make one, search me. Type in my name and there's about 6 thousand results but I'm the only one in Forks."  
"Sure, thanks, Jeremy. Maybe I'll set one up when I get home today. I'll make Edward help me."  
Jeremy stared at him a bit, and Harry had the feeling he had something else to say, so he waited patiently.  
Finally, Jeremy ducked his head a bit and shuffled closer, lowering his voice. "A-about that. I've been trying to ask you all year, and well, how were you sure?"  
Harry lowered his voice too, respecting what was obviously sensitive to the guy. "That I'm gay? Or about Edward?"  
"The first one."  
"I just knew. After girls weren't working out, I guess. When Edward showed up, I was positive. He wasn't the first guy I'd been attracted to, but… he's like my soulmate. It hit me pretty hard."  
Jeremy bit his lip and nodded.  
"Do you think you're…" Harry began, but Jeremy suddenly was finished with the conversation.  
He breathed out heavily and said quickly "Maybe next year," shaking his head at the wizard.  
Harry smiled softly. "Look," he said. "I'm going to make a Facebook when I get home. I'll find you on there, and when you want to, we'll talk, ok?"  
"Yeah."  
Harry clapped the boy on the shoulder. "Enjoy your summer."  
"I'll try."

The bell rang a while later and Harry headed to his last computer class of the year with Draco. When he arrived he found that the teacher was playing hangman on a large whiteboard at the front of the class with a gaggle of students and the rest were fiddling around on the computers or (again,) signing yearbooks.

Harry seized an opportunity of nothingness to follow through with his promise to Jeremy. "Hey, Draco, come help me figure out Facebook."  
They pulled two chairs up to one monitor and found the site, realizing they needed an email address.

"Make one," Draco urged as he booted up his own computer to make one for himself.  
"How?"

Larissa, a girl who never spoke much, overheard the conversation and directed them through the steps of making the accounts. Moments later _Gryffindor_Seeker07_ and _DragonBlack00_ were entered into brand new Facebook accounts for Harry J. Potter and Draco Malfoy. The two wizards fiddled with the site, not having access to pictures to post yet or statuses to read, they edited their personal info and other random information. By the end of the class, they each had a handful of friends from the class who had wanted the honor of being their first friend requests. When the teacher announced that they had 2 minutes to power down their computers and _thank you for a wonderful year enjoy your summer!_, Harry made one more quick change to his account. He found "Interested In:" selected "Men," then searched the site for "Edward M. Cullen" and sent him a friend request followed by an "In a relationship with" pending relationship status.

Logging out, he powered down the computer, grinned at Draco, and shifted his nearly empty backpack onto his shoulder. "I'd say the creation of a Facebook account solidifies the muggle teenager experience."  
"Indeed," Draco agreed. "And clarifying your sexual orientation on said website seems to solidify one's coming out, doesn't it?" The pureblood asked.  
"I'd say so," Harry replied. "The question is, should I friend Hermione before or after I bring home Edward?"  
Draco laughed.

When the two wizards arrived home, they shut the garage door behind them and tromped into the kitchen to a loud roar of "Congratulations!"  
The room had been filled with floating streamers and balloons and confetti which decorated the air and whizzed by of their own accord. Music thrummed from somewhere in the living room and a large cake took up space on the kitchen table.

"We're impressed, Mates!" an auror called to them. "180 days of Muggle school, half of it using no magic at all, and you pulled through. Well done, lads!"

Draco and Harry grinned and joined the celebration, thanking Dedalus who seemed to have been at the root of it.

After a while, Harry raised his wand and fired a small spark into the air, signaling attention for a toast. "I'd just like to say thanks for this little party you've thrown," he began, "But more than that I want to thank all of you for sacrificing your year these last few months in order to allow Draco and Me this opportunity outside Britain. I know some of you left your families behind, and no one was expecting what happened here this year. It wasn't as relaxed as we thought it'd be- and we lost Amos Diggory, which was a grief to us all, but you pulled through, and we finished the last of this war together. So thank you, truly, for everything."  
He raised his glass aloft and took a sip to the cheers around him as the men followed suit.

The bell rang and several people scrambled to answer it at once, bodily pulling Jacob Black into the chaotic throng of early-evening drinking and snacking.

"Hey," Jake greeted when he came across Harry. Noticing the distinct lack of smell in the house, "Where's Edward?" he asked.  
"Hunting," Harry answered loudly. "He'll be here later!"  
"Right. Where's Draco?"  
"Flying out back!" Harry told him, gesturing over his shoulder toward the sliding glass doors.  
"Flying?" Jake asked with a hesitant sound. But he left the black haired wizard to whatever he had been doing and continued to make his way through to the back yard.

Sure enough, there were a number of men zipping across the yard, fairly high up, tossing a large red ball to one another. From one end of the yard came a sound like the crack of a baseball bat and he watched as all the men swooped to duck as a smaller, bluish ball came hurdling across their game.  
The smaller ball rocketed by one man and hooked left, striking the tail end of a broomstick and sending it into a spin.

"Nice shot, Mate!" Someone shouted as the spinning wizard righted himself.  
"I can't see for shit," someone else complained, regarding the setting sun and lack of natural light in the wood-shaded backyard.  
"Got you covered. _Lumos Maxima!"_

The yard was suddenly illuminated by bright light and the flying wizards took off again, swishing in intricate patterns and still tossing that red ball around. Then from over the trees came two blurs, speeding incredibly fast and zipping impossibly close to the gutters of the house before curving sharply upward and then diving again. With a shout of triumph and an angry expletive, the two blurs slowed enough that Jacob could distinguish the burly man, who he now knew to be Krum, and his own boyfriend. The larger wizard was clenching a wriggling something in one fist while Draco muttered something about an unfair advantage.

"Did you lose, Babe?" Jake called up at him.  
"Jacob!" Draco shouted, surprised. "When did you get here?" He lowered himself to the ground until he was just hovering and hopped off, ripping a pair of leather gloves of his hands and bringing his fingers up to brush down his wild hair. He ran to the Quileute and stopped just in front of him, fingers still in his hair.  
Jake pulled them away and ran his own fingers through it. "It looks sexy like this," he muttered.  
"You think?"  
"Yeah." Jake kissed him quickly hello. "I got here about 10 minutes ago. I ate something that I didn't know what it was and then it bit me, so I spit it out, and then I found you out here."  
"They're called licorice snaps. You have to chew them kind of quick."  
"Are you a good player?" Jake asked curiously. "You looked really cool, I mean, a blur for most of the time, but I don't really know much."  
"I'm just fast," Draco admitted. "I can keep up with Krum in speed, but I can't catch the snitch all that often. That's the little one. Don't tell Harry I told you that."  
"Is he a good flier?" The Quileute wanted to know.  
"He could probably go pro," Draco said honestly. "He wouldn't though. Too much fame already."  
"So, when you said you had a guard living with you all this time, these are..?"  
"Yeah, these are them."  
"They all _fit?"_  
"There's a whole floor to this house that you can't see. It fits people in like a hotel too. They've all got quite a lot of space."  
"Can't believe I didn't run into them more often."  
"I'm a good liar," Draco reasoned.  
"Too good, sometimes," Jake said awkwardly.  
"Yeah, well, not with you anymore." The pureblood said happily and he stretched up on his toes to kiss his boyfriend again. "Let me go hang up my broom and change, and then I'll get you another try with a licorice snap and we can head to your house."  
"Sounds good."

Draco tugged a new, clean shirt on over his head and looked at his reflection in the mirror. He reached for his bottle of gel and squirted a slug of it into the palm of his hand. He was about to work it into his freshly showered and dried hair when Jacob's words from outside hit him. He moved to the bathroom, washed the gel off his hands and pulled a comb through his hair with just a little water instead, pushing it into place so that it looked a little windswept. Turning his head to the left and right, he admired the look.  
Razor trotted into the bathroom holding his harness in his jaws. Draco took it from him and stroked his head fondly. "Sorry, Razor. Too many big dogs down at the rez. Wouldn't want you to get hurt." He banished the harness back to his room and the panther's ears drooped.  
"We'll go somewhere soon, I promise."

Downstairs, Jake carefully snatched a licorice snap from a tray of them and pinched it firmly between his thumb and forefinger. He chomped down on half of it and chewed quickly, fearing that he might suffer another cut lip. To his delight, the candy behaved as normal candy should, and he enjoyed the flavor as he popped the second half into his mouth and chewed that too. He had just grabbed another two from the tray when Draco approached from behind and placed a hand on his lower back.

"I'm ready."  
"Cool. You look nice."  
"Thank you."  
A sharp twinge in Jake's palm reminded him of the feisty snack he was holding. "Want one?" He offered with a wince.  
"No thanks," the pureblood answered. "Have you tried a chocolate frog?"  
"Do they bite too?" the werewolf asked as he gnawed the ends off of two snaps at once.  
"No, they're harmless. Just catch it before it gets away." Draco grabbed one for each of them from the table and headed toward the front door. "I'll show you in the car."

"It says 'Minerva Mik-gohnogail'," Jacob pronounced slowly through a mouth of chocolate.  
"McGonogall," Draco corrected.  
"Sure."  
"She was my teacher for 6 years. I still don't know if she likes me or not."  
"Really?"  
"Maybe you'll meet her one day."  
"D'you think she'd sign this?"  
The image on the card pursed its lips and shook its head.  
"Not likely," Draco answered. "She's kind of a no-nonsense sort. At least I think so. Harry seems to think she's got a secret prank-loving side. Maybe you need to be a Gryffindor to experience it."  
"Who's on yours?"  
Draco shook the card out of his box and held half of his frog in one hand while he read it. "Falco Aesalon."  
"Who's he?"  
Draco read from the back of the card. "The first recorded animagus. He was able to turn himself into a falcon."  
"Because his name was Falco?" Jacob asked, putting the car in gear and pulling away from the curb.  
"What?"  
"Could he turn into a falcon because his name was Falco, you know? I'm just saying cuz maybe you could turn into a dragon."  
Draco snickered. "That would not be nearly as cool as you think it sounds. But no, I doubt it. It was probably just a coincidence."  
"Can you do it?"  
"Be an animagus? I might learn some day."  
"If you were a canine, we could go running together."  
"What if I were something you'd usually not like? I mean, Razor and I are pretty close. It's possible I'd be a feline."  
"Can you test it?"  
"I spent a lot of McGonagall's lectures asleep or spelling things to fly at Gryffindors. I don't know that much about transfiguration."  
"I'll ask Harry then."  
"Or, I could look it up or go to McGonagall herself when we get home," Draco said stubbornly, unwilling to turn his boyfriend over to Harry for information.  
"Your home?"  
"Well, you'll be there too. Ours."  
"What's it like?"  
"Too big."  
"Do you want to stay there? Maybe you should move."  
"I've considered it. But you know, I _am _proud of my blood. Just not proud of what my relatives did with it. I want to live in my ancestors' home."  
"Then we'll just have to make it more homey," Jacob said simply.  
"Sounds nice."

Soon enough they pulled up across the gravel driveway in Jacob's tiny community. Billy's house was being reconstructed and several tarps covered various portions of it.

"I haven't been in your dad's friend's house yet," Draco said awkwardly.  
"Don't worry. It's small and we're kind of cramped, but you're welcome there."  
Draco bit the inside of his cheek. "Will your father hate me? Or hate you for leaving him?"

Jacob unbuckled his seatbelt and turned to face his boyfriend. "Look. My father loves me. Unconditionally. You make me so happy, Draco. I can't exist without you by my side. And you don't belong here. Therefore, I don't belong here. Wherever we go, that's where I'm supposed to be, and Billy understands that. Besides, me across the ocean might be the push he's always needed to get out and see the world. He's very old fashioned and I think part of him believes that the chair limits him. But he could come to England if he wanted to. And we'll come back sometimes too, right? For holidays and visits?" he sounded uncertain with this last statement.

"As often as you need, Jacob." Draco leaned forward and kissed the young man softly. "Thank you for leaving all this behind for me."  
"It's for me too."  
"About Billy's chair, I'm-  
"I know."  
Once, late at night when the two had been lying quietly together in bed, Jacob had whispered carefully, asking if the wizard would ever be able to heal his father. Draco had been heartbroken to answer that Billy would never be allowed to learn about magic. And if he could, the odds of healing paralysis through magical means were not very likely for a muggle. Jacob had taken the news silently, and Draco had a bad feeling that the Quileute had gotten his hopes up before asking. "He just wouldn't be Billy without his chair anyway, you know?" Jake said now.  
"That's a good way to look at it."

The exited the car and started up the walk toward the house that Billy and Jacob were currently sharing with some friends. They were ushered inside with hugs and handshakes before they passed through to a small room that had two beds and various boxes stacked within. Billy was wheeled up to a desk in one corner and smiled softly at them as they said their hellos and sat side by side on the bed that was Jake's.

"So," Billy began.  
"I'll come home for visits, Billy, I promise," Jacob started too quickly.

Billy raised his hand to stop him. "I knew you'd be leaving. I knew since that dinner we had months back. I just want to make sure _you_ know," he gestured at Draco, "that my boy still has ties here. You can't steal him away and never come back, you hear?" He looked at both of them and his eyes were misty.  
"You're the last thing I've got from your mother, Jacob," he said quietly. "Don't forget your roots."

"I never will, Dad, I promise." He ran his hand over his shoulder, where a Quileute tattoo was emblazoned beneath the sleeve of his shirt. "When I graduate school, which I swear I will do, we'll pay for you to fly over, ok? So you can see me."

Billy nodded and reached out a hand to clasp his son's, then Draco's. "Have you spoken to Sam about the pack?"  
"Yes. He wants the responsibility. And he understands that I want to be with my imprint."

"Then you have my blessing. And the blessings of the other elders as well. I bought you something, but it's down the hall." The Quileute adjusted the breaks on his chair and wheeled out of the room and into the hallway. At the end he reached a closet, which he pulled open to reveal a large set of wheeling luggage.  
"You've never traveled outside the reservation and the surrounding area, so I knew you wouldn't have anything to pack in. I put a few things in there that I want you to have."

Jake maneuvered the luggage from the closet and knelt down to unzip the main compartment. It was stocked already with several framed photos, as well as a few books, a dream catcher, and a thin drum that was a bit bigger than the size of a large dinner plate. It was painted beautifully with complex figures and characters that Draco did not understand. Jake ran his fingers over it, tapping it gently to hear its hollow sound. "It's gorgeous, Billy," Jacob said as he turned it reverently in his hands.

"You're not much of a musician," Billy told his son, "but you can keep in somewhere nice. Or, you know, give it a shot one day."  
Jacob eyed his father carefully. "Thank you."  
Billy smiled. "So when are you leaving?"

They spent a while discussing travel plans and the technicalities that were involved in moving to a new country. Jacob assured his father that he had been filling out all the paperwork necessary to get his passport and everything else. Finally, after some time, they sat down for dinner and talked until Billy was content with his son's decision to leave.

"I have one stipulation though," he stated as he finished the last of his meal.

"What's that?" Draco asked.

"I want Jacob spending the night here until he leaves. You can see each other during the day, preferably not all day, but he sleeps here. Once you leave you've got all the time in the world together. I get this week with my son."

"Sure, Billy," Jacob said, patting his shoulder. "Of course."

**  
Jacob was leaning back against the side of his car while Draco stood between his legs, facing him, at the curb in front of the safe house. "That drum was beautiful," Draco commented.  
"I know. I wasn't expecting for Billy to give it to me yet."  
"You've seen it before?" Draco asked. He had assumed it was something new.  
"Yes, it has been passed down in my family. Usually when the son has completed an important event in his life, like marriage or the birth of a child."  
"Do you think he's worried that you won't get those things?" Draco wanted to know.  
"I don't know. I want to be married to you properly one day. And, well, I've never _not _wanted a child, I suppose."  
Draco grimaced a bit.  
"But I think that's a conversation best saved for later," Jacob continued. "Anyway, I figure Billy just considers this as big a step as any. I've made my own, adult decision to go off without any of the tribe or pack. It is hard, but it will be worth it."  
Draco smiled at him. "I'm glad. You know, this is where you first kissed me," he said teasingly.  
"Is it?" Jake feigned shock.  
"Yep. Except I did something stupid and ran away," Draco told him. He leaned forward and ran his nose under Jacob's jawline, stopping at his ear to place a kiss there.  
"Yeah, that was pretty stupid," Jake breathed.  
"Think I should make up for it?"  
Jacob snorted but grappled for the handle of the car to open the door and fell back inside onto the seat. "You can try," he challenged as he pulled the wizard down with him.

* * *

Note: Final chapter to be up not too long from now hopefully. Also requesting thoughts or prayers as my mother is very sick again. For those who have been with me since the beginning, you've helped me out through lots of those ups and downs with words of encouragement and positivism. As my mom changes treatment yet again, we can use all the prayers we can get. Thank you.  
Peace, love, and health,  
darkestAngel13


	45. Chapter 45

Author's Note: *Disclaimer, I don't own anything recognizable*. So, here we are at long last, my friends. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to each and every one of you, especially those of you who have been here from my very first posted chapter. If anyone cares, I specifically waited to update until today so that this story began March 29th 2009 and is now COMPLETE on March 29th 2013. I can't express in words how amazed I am that this is over. Without a doubt, this is the first major project I have seen through to the end so far in life. Truly, thank you for being a part of it. And now, I present the final chapter (and Epilogue) of _Piano Man_.

* * *

Recap:

_Draco smiled at him. "I'm glad. You know, this is where you first kissed me," he said teasingly._  
_"Is it?" Jake feigned shock._  
_"Yep. Except I did something stupid and ran away," Draco told him. He leaned forward and ran his nose under Jacob's jawline, stopping at his ear to place a kiss there._  
_"Yeah, that was pretty stupid," Jake breathed._  
_"Think I should make up for it?"_  
_Jacob snorted but grappled for the handle of the car to open the door and fell back inside onto the seat. "You can try," he challenged as he pulled the wizard down with him._

* * *

When he was young, Harry had once been dragged to the mall by Aunt Petunia. It was a major shopping day and the half-ounce of concern that the woman held for her nephew convinced her that a leash should be secured to him so that he wouldn't be stolen or, (as was more likely) decide to run away. Harry had hated the humiliation of the metal clasp clipped to the collar of his t-shirt that day. It had been, quite literally, a dog leash. One that had been left on the hook for when Aunt Marge visited with one of her many awful bulldogs, as a matter of fact.  
At age 7 that he was he would have much preferred to hang onto the strap of his Aunt's handbag, as he had seen Dudley do time and time again, or rather just stayed home in his cupboard with the old paperback book that he had stolen from the bookshelf at school. That day, he vowed to never secure his own child in such a way if ever there came a day that he had a child, that is.

Knowing his hands would likely be full today, however, Harry had strapped a furry monkey backpack to Teddy's small shoulders and allowed the boy to walk on his own chubby legs while the gryffindor wrapped the end of the monkey's long tail around his own wrist. Teddy squealed with happiness and toddled forward as far as the stretch of the backpack would allow him and then looked over his shoulder at his godfather.  
"Go!" he whined, pointing ahead of him.  
"I know, Pup," Harry said as he picked up several cups from the counter of the airport Starbucks. The girl at the counter smiled. "He's a cutie," she told him.  
"Thanks," Harry replied.  
"You are too," she said coyly, leaning forward and resting her chin on her hands.  
"Sorry, not your team," he told her with a awkward grin.  
"Ugh, seriously?" she scoffed. "_All_ the attractive ones. I think you do it on purpose to drive us crazy."  
"You're on to us!" Harry joked. The girl laughed and wished him a good day before greeting her next customer.

Harry placed three coffees into a cardboard cup-holder which he picked up in his left hand and then balanced two muffins and a bagel in the crook of his right elbow.  
"Hey, Mini! Want to be a big helper?" He asked with false excitement, hoping the child might want to carry the small brown paper bag that was full of various packaged snacks for Jacob.  
"Nope," the boy said cheerily. He was now squatting down and examining the designs on his little shoes, which were very cool and very important.  
"Oh. Right then." Harry hitched the diaper bag more firmly up his arm and snatched up the paper bag between his thumb and forefinger before finally moving away from the dining area.  
"Next time, someone else is on Starbucks duty and I'll take you for a change separately," Harry grumbled. Teddy grinned toothily up at him, happy to make things difficult.

They made their way slowly through the maze of airport terminals before they finally arrived back at F4.  
"About time, Potter!" Draco called out to him, making no move to stand and take some of his burden.  
Edward, on the other hand, quickly sprung to his feet and took first the drinks, then the muffins and bagel, then the brown bag and diaper bag from his lover, settling them all on the small table next to their uncomfortable plastic chairs.

"You could have called me," the vampire murmered as he leaned forward to kiss the skin just behind Harry's ear.  
"Wanted to do things the old fashioned way," Harry answered, calling Teddy to him and scooping the young child up despite his protests.  
"Can't get much more old fashioned than me," Edward boasted, tucking his thumbs in his boyfriend's belt loops.  
Draco chuckled. "Wait 'til you see Diagon Alley," he commented. "Now _that's_ old fashioned."

Jacob, already halfway through a muffin, swallowed loudly. "Ok, explain once more and I've got it," he said confidently, gesturing to the coins in Draco's hand. The pureblood sighed and Harry expected that this had been going on the entire time he'd been gone.  
"Galleon, Sickle and Knut," Draco said, indicating each coin with his thumb. "They are gold, silver, and bronze, respectively. There are 17 Sickles in a Galleon, and 29 Knuts in a Sickle, so there are 493 Knuts to a Galleon."  
Jacob nodded. "I'll remember it this time, I swear. And it's _real _gold? Not like, foil?" he asked skeptically.  
Draco plonked the galleon down into his boyfriend's palm so he could feel the weight. "Does it feel like there's a sweet wrapped up in there?"  
Jacob turned the coin over in his hand. "Cool."

There was an electronic "ding" that resounded through the area, followed by the crackle of a microphone as an airline worker began to speak aloud to the terminal.  
_"Flight 761B to Heathrow Airport is now boarding. We ask that all passengers that require family boarding please come aboard now, as well as our taller guests requiring extra leg room. Finally, American Airlines invites our Rewards members to please come aboard."_  
The quartet of gentlemen gathered their belongings and Teddy and made their way to the gate, each fishing paperwork from their pockets. When all was said and done, Harry and Edward were seated side by side on the plane with Teddy wriggling incessantly on the vampire's knees and Jacob and Draco were beside them across the aisle.

Far too long later, Harry was ecstatic to be deplaning. Teddy had alternated between screaming his head off, happily running up and down the aisles of the jet, babbling with or poking increasingly irritated passengers, and only sleeping in intermittent bursts throughout the entire flight.  
Draco had hissed at him to "give him a sleeping draught already, Harry!" but Harry was already stuffing the poor kid full with potions to keep his hair brown for the duration of the journey and wasn't willing to pump any more ingredients into his little body.

The wizards waited patiently for their boyfriends to go through a more complex customs security, finally emerging together in a large greeting area. The system was unique for them. Kingsley had arranged for Edward and Jacob to easily slide into the country. Nothing official truly had to be documented with the muggles, as the two would be living in the wizarding world with their significant others- flying under the radar anyway. Jacob had received a student visa that would allow him to complete his education at a high school, but other than that the government knew nothing about their presence in England.

"Where to from here?" Jacob asked as an awkward lull settled over the group. Teddy was now conveniently tuckered out and snoring against Harry's neck.  
"Well, our trip is over, I guess," The Gryffindor said with a deep breath. "You and Draco go back to his and get settled, Edward and Teddy will go back to mine with me. It'll take a while to get acclimated to being back again," he said.  
"How long do you give it before there's a camera in your face?" Draco asked quietly.  
"Depends. Might release a statement just to get it over with," Harry answered. "You?"  
"I'll make a run to the shop for a book or something and hope no one tries to kill me," the blond said with false positivity.  
Jake blanched. "Oh come on, they like you now," he assured the wizard. "We saw the paper."  
Draco grinned. "Regardless, you're staying home the first time I go out."  
"Deal."  
Harry adjusted his grip on Teddy and shifted slightly. "I want to get out of this entryway," he said. "There's a hall down that way. It'll be a good apparation site. Good?"  
"Excellent," Draco answered.

The group meandered down the hall, which apparently lead to a wall of unused payphones.  
"Thanks for everything, Harry," Draco said, putting his hand out to shake. "See you soon."  
"Yeah, Draco, of course. You too." He shook Jacob's hand as well while Edward took Draco's.  
The werewolf and vampire nodded cordially to one another before each wrapping an arm their boyfriends' waists.  
Harry gripped Edward's hand where it rested at his hip and squeezed Teddy against him before spinning abruptly.

With a snap, he opened his eyes and found himself amid the blank walls of his flat outside of Diagon Alley.  
He inhaled the woody, dusty scent of the empty room. "Well," he said, with a half grin, "this is home."  
Edward cupped his jaw and leaned forward to kiss him slowly.  
"It's been a long time since I've had a home to consider mine."  
"No super-hearing vampires listening in here," Harry agreed. "I'm glad you're here."  
"Me too."

* * *

Jacob felt solid ground beneath his feet and sucked in a breath. He felt Draco push away from him quickly and Jacob held up hand as he swallowed thickly. "I won't throw up I promise," he gagged. He coughed, stood up straight and thumped his hand against his chest. "I'm getting better at that," he claimed proudly.

Draco crossed his arms across his chest. "If you say so, Babe." He conjured a chair with a wave of his wand and pressed Jacob into it. "Stay here," he said firmly. "I don't know what has been left around here, so don't move or touch anything until I come back, ok?"

The Quileute looked around, only now taking in the vast entryway that they were in. The ceiling was high and vaulted, the floor was marble and the gleaming walls were etched stone and rock. There was a magnificent staircase just ahead and a foyer that opened into a large room that he couldn't see from the angle that he was at.  
"Stay," Draco said firmly, pointing a finger at him.  
Jake lolled his tongue out and woofed.  
"Cute," the wizard smirked, ruffling his thick hair. Then he spun on his heel, muttered "Point Me," and wandered away.

Jacob breathed in the air of the huge area that he was seated in, expecting it to taste stale from the time it had been left unoccupied. Instead, the air was clean and not at all musty. His stomach growled and the sound echoed in the silence around him. "Ugh, I'm hungry," he complained to no one. The airline meals seemed centuries ago.

A loud crack had him bolting from his seat with a shout before he could comprehend what he was seeing.  
A small thing, like what Kreacher had been, was trembling nervously on the floor, its knees knocking together.

"Skitch is apologizing, Sirs." It squeaked. "Skitch didn't mean to startle you, Sirs. Skitch only wanted to offer a snack to you, Sirs. If it pleases you, Sirs, Skitch will startle his-self with the fourth floor boggart, Sirs."

Jake calmly settled the chair back onto the ground- he had lifted it in front of him as his first reaction. "Um, no, I'm sorry I was startled, it wasn't your fault, uh- Skitch. I'd love a snack but Draco told me not to touch anything til he gets back. Could you, uh, stop bowing and stuff?"

"If it pleases you, Sirs." Skitch whimpered, straightening up. Now that Jacob could see him properly, he could tell that the small elf was very young- there were no lines on his face as Kreacher had had, and his face was chubby with baby fat. The loin cloth around his waist was pristine and a crisp white, and it reached to his mid-thigh.

"Master Draco loves Skitch, Sirs. Skitch will find him now, Sirs, and ask his permission to make Sirs a snack. Skitch has been missing Master Draco, Sirs. And Skitch shook and shook and shook and hid in the hamper when Master Lucius returned but now Skitch has heard from the shopping elves that Master Lucius is gone for good, Sirs! And there will be no more burnings, Sirs!"

The elf seemed to be getting progressively excited before he caught himself and calmed again. "Skitch will go get permission from Master Draco, now, Sirs."

"Uh, ok, thanks," Jacob said.

The elf snapped away and Jacob righted himself in his chair again. After another five minutes, he heard squeaking chatter approaching from the large room beyond the foyer. Sure enough, Skitch emerged from the doorway, tugging a placating Draco along by the finger.

"Skitch found him all on his own, Master Draco!" The elf was shouting proudly. "Skitch heard him say he was hungry and Skitch _knew, _Master Draco! Skitch knew just where to go and Skitch did everything right except for startling the Sir!"

"That was excellent, Skitch. I'm proud of you." Draco said when the elf paused for breath. "Now, allow me to introduce you properly to the friend that you found." The pureblood reached over and pulled his boyfriend up by the hand.

"Skitch, this is Jacob. Or you may call him Jake. This is his home now too," he brushed some hair out of Jake's eyes and captured his mouth in a short kiss, and the elf positively squealed with delight.  
"Oh Master Draco you is _in love!_" he jumped up, pulling on his own ears in glee.  
"Yeah," the pureblood confirmed. "I definitely am."

"I think we've got a fan," Jacob muttered in Draco's ear as the elf watched them with wide eyes, apparently waiting for them to kiss again. The pureblood laughed.  
"Come on," he tugged his boyfriend's hand. "Skitch will bring us a snack while I take you on a tour."  
"Can I see your room first?" Jacob asked with a smirk in his tone.  
"duh."

* * *

"Look at you!" Molly Weasley cooed as she plucked Teddy from Harry's arms and snuggled him closely.

"Sure, Molly, I'm well! Yes, things are good, and all that, how about yourself?" Harry said sarcastically.

The woman tsked and pointed a finger at him. "Cheeky!" And then she couldn't help herself and pulled the Gryffindor into an incredibly warm hug, squeezing Teddy who whined "noooooooooo" and kicked his feet to be put down.  
Molly appeased the boy, who toddled around her legs and let himself into the house.

"Precious," the witch praised him, adding "He's certainly grown up, Harry."  
"I know."  
They smiled as an uproar of greetings for Teddy came from inside the Burrow. The child was apparently being greeted by a house full of redheads.  
"Er, Molly? I need to tell you something," Harry began, reaching up to ruffle the hair at the back of his head.  
"Of course dear!" She looked up at him, waiting for him to speak.  
"I, uhm, brought someone with me. From America. To live with me, I mean. We're together," he finished with finality.  
Molly grinned mischievously and Harry spoke again before she could hug him or make one of the happy motherly noises she tended to make.

"He's a man," Harry said quickly. "The person I'm in love with, that is. His name is Edward."  
Harry felt his cheeks burn as he waited for Molly to react.  
"_Harry_," She said finally, imploringly. "Were you _afraid _to tell me this?" She asked, sounding hurt.

"Oh my dear," She reached out, cupping his face in both her hands and pulled him close. "I love you just as much," she said firmly, patting his cheek the way she did when he was a little boy. Then she craned her neck to peek over his shoulder. "You did bring him, didn't you?" she asked him, scandalized as though he had considered leaving his partner elsewhere.

"Of course," Harry laughed. "We just figured I'd let you know first, and then, when I was ready, he'd follow."  
"Well are you ready yet?" the woman asked. "I want to meet the gentleman who has stolen your heart!"  
Harry smiled, feeling a weight he didn't know he had float away from his shoulders. "Edward," he called over his shoulder, knowing the sound would carry to the vampire who stood hidden in the trees at the edge of the property.

"Something you need to know about him though, Mrs. Weasley" Harry began. "Edward is a-"  
said individual zipped into place beside Harry and wrapped his arm around the wizard's waist, turning his golden gaze on the witch and smiling softly.  
"—vampire," Harry finished.

Molly seemed to gape for only a moment before she nodded and smiled. "Well," she said, waving her hands. "I try not to judge. Hello, Dear" she greeted.  
"It's a pleasure," Edward responded, charming as ever.  
"Edward has a very strict diet, Molly," Harry informed her.  
"Animals only. I swear," the vampire clarified.  
Molly visibly relaxed. "I always knew you were the sensible one, Harry," she praised him. "Come now, we've been waiting!" And she turned to lead the couple into the Burrow.

"Speaking of Ron," Harry interrupted, pulling her attention back. He fidgeted with the hem of his shirt. "Are he and Hermione here yet?"  
"They're in the kitchen."  
"Could you send them out here?"  
"Of course." She smiled. "And Harry dear, please don't fret so. You are loved here." She entered the house and her voice calling for Ron and Hermione echoed back out onto the front step where the couple stood.

Harry sat on the stoop beside an old pair of boots and smiled when he felt Edward join him, pressed close to his side.  
Their fingers intertwined and rested on Edward's thigh. The Gryffindor leaned his head against the juncture of Edward's neck and shoulder.  
"You okay?" Edward asked, running his thumb over the back of Harry's hand.  
"Yeah. Just jet-lagged."  
There was a creak of the heavy front door and Harry quickly jolted up to look at his two best friends.  
"Ooooh I _knew _it!" Hermione squealed immediately, reminding Harry that while he was no longer leaning on him his hand was still clasped with Edward's. "I _told _you, Ronald!"  
"Erg, Mate, you cost me 20 sickles!" Ron complained loudly, digging his money pouch out of his pocket.

Harry got to his feet, Edward still beside him.  
"You…_bet?_" he asked, disbelievingly. "You bet on my sexuality?" He asked again.

"What? No, man, why would we do that?" Ron asked seriously. "We've known about that for ages. Hermione bet that you'd bring him home with you and I said it was just an 'I'm on vacation and letting loose thing.' No offense, Mate," he added as he looked over at Edward. The vampire raised his hands in an "I'm not involved" gesture.

The color drained from Harry's face.  
"You knew?"  
"Yes," the two chorused.  
"Really."  
"Harry we really thought it was important that this was something you brought to us. We didn't want to confront you with it. It's not like we were going to accuse you or anything. We have no problem with it," Hermione said quickly.  
The boy who lived said nothing, just swayed silently on his feet as he processed this.  
"You okay?" Ron asked.  
"He's been seriously stressing about this," Edward informed them. "Really worried about telling you. I think you startled him."  
"Oh, _Harry." _  
In seconds there was a warm hug between the three best friends, and if a few tears were leaked no one mentioned it.

* * *

"Mr. Potter! Do you have anything to say in response to the allegations that you were seen at the park with your godson and a male lover?"  
"No comment," Harry responded as he brushed aside the journalist. He blinked as a camera flashed at him and scowled.  
"Mr. Potter, who are you living with?"  
"Mr. Potter did Draco Malfoy and his muggle partner turn you into a homosexual?"  
"Mr. Potter did you hire a nanny for your godson?"  
"Mr. Potter critics are saying that you are too young to raise Theodore Lupin, do you have a comment?"  
Harry looked up sharply in response. "To _that? Yes._" He said firmly.

"First, I'd like to state that I was rewarded custody of my godson by the family wizenagemot when his original caretaker was deemed unfit. If the court found me to be a fit parent then no one else has the right to say otherwise. Second I respectfully request that you scratch his name from any and all of your written works. If I see his name in print you will be receiving a Legal Owl from me within an hour of printing. As to my private life, it is just that, _private._ I thank you kindly to treat it as such."  
He clenched his wand and jaw as he quickened his pace through the ministry and finally made it to the door he was seeking. He wrapped sharply and let himself in without waiting for a response.  
"Harry,"  
"Minister."

Kingsley smirked. "I can feel the déjà vu already," he chuckled. "Will you wave to them on your way out today too?"  
Harry snorted. "Not likely. They've been downright rude today! You know they had the nerve to talk to me about Teddy? And they called him _Theodore_. Ew!"  
Kingsley laughed his rumbling laugh. "So what can I help you with today?"  
"A press conference," the wizard sighed dramatically. "One where I can do all the talking and then be gone without any questions or badgering."  
"You'd need to take that up with The Prophet, Harry."  
"But I don't want to. Can't you arrange it?"

The minister steepled his fingers and rested his chin on them, leaning forward in his desk. "There are times that I forget you are but a teenager, Mr. Potter," he mused. But then he became serious. "Listen, Harry. This is not ministry business. This is a very personal matter. Personal for _you. _Not me. I apologize, but there is nothing I can do for you. If you want a protective detail, I can grant you that. But I will not organize a coming out for you."

"What do you suggest then?" Harry asked.  
"Draco's method worked for him," the man chuckled.  
"Making out against the window at Quality Quidditch Supplies under the bludger display. He had to have planned that. Did you see the photographs?" Harry said with a laugh.

Indeed, the entire wizarding world had. Draco had the Quileute pressed against the glass windows of the shop, both men sporting casual muggle clothing as they kissed thoroughly. There was a large poster mounted behind them that read "WE HAVE REGULATION BALLS." The angle of Jacob's girth conveniently covered the 3rd word so that each newspaper and tabloid was papered with the image of two men kissing, highlighted by the blaring "WE HAVE BALLS" statement.

"I can't beat that," Harry complained jokingly. "But seriously, what do I do?"  
"Harry, why should it be a big to-do? What did you say when the reporter mentioned Teddy earlier?"  
"I told them the truth and set the record straight, then asked for privacy."  
Kingsley opened his hands. "That's that then," he said.  
"But-"  
"But _what_, Harry? You owe _nothing _to those reporters. For your own sanity you will appease them by telling the truth so that you can spend your life with Edward. Otherwise nothing would require you to say anything at all. I realize the press has made your life about pomp up until now, but that's just it- _up until now. _Go on, Harry. Take control."  
Harry breathed heavily. "Fine. Okay. Yeah. Thanks, Kingsley, I will." He pushed himself up from the seat he had taken and headed out the door, closing it gently behind him.

"Merlin, I'm good," Kingsley muttered to himself.  
The painting behind him scoffed.  
"Hush, you."

* * *

"Mr. Potter, you were recently seen entering Gringotts with the same pale man that we have been trying to learn more about since your return from vacation. What can you tell us about him?"  
A reporter hustled alongside the wizard's quick strides, attempting to keep a quill steady as he balanced a piece of parchment on a flimsy notebook. Harry slowed and stopped. There was a new packet of blood-pops in his pocket for Edward and he fiddled with the wrapping nervously.

He breathed and flicked some hair away from his face.  
"His name is Edward- he's my age, and he's living with me and my godson. He is my boyfriend and we have been together for 8 months. We would appreciate our privacy and respectfully ask that you do not crowd or overwhelm us any longer when we are in public. Edward has only recently been introduced to the wizarding world and the flocking press has been creating emotional distress. I thank the media in advance for their understanding." (This last part was a stretch. Edward had found the media attention funny if anything, though Harry figured there was no harm in milking the situation.)

The reporter dashed off a final note with his quill, seemingly in awe that he had received the story at last.  
"Anything else?" Harry asked not unkindly.  
"Er, no, Mr. Potter. Thank you very much and congratulations on your happiness."  
"Thank you," Harry answered, surprised. "Have a good evening." He gathered himself, continued his walk out of Diagon Alley and headed home.

Harry was greeted at the door with a kiss from Edward and a squeal from Teddy. The wizard couldn't help the grin that split his face at the simple domesticity of it all.  
"How'd it go?" he asked.  
"Smooth sailing," Edward reported proudly. "He woke up around 2:45, I changed him, got him some juice, and put him on the floor with some toys. He hasn't complained yet."  
"Good."  
"Hermione stopped by," Edward led as the two sat side by side on the couch to watch Teddy play.  
"What for?"  
"I asked her to."  
Harry raised an eyebrow. "Everything okay?" he asked slowly.  
"Well I've been reading a lot of your old textbooks when you're sleeping, and there was something I wanted her opinion on."  
Harry nodded. "And?"  
Edward fished a small vial from his pocket. "It's an aging potion," he said softly.  
Harry took it. "What?"  
"It's really, really, diluted. Hermione developed it fairly easily once I explained my thoughts to her."  
"And those thoughts are…?" Harry was positively flummoxed.  
"I know that you know that I don't want this lifestyle for you," the vampire explained, gesturing to himself and indicating his immortality. "And I know that you don't want it for yourself. So here's my solution. Once a year, on your birthday, I'll take a dose of this potion. It'll age my appearance in increments, so that you're not dating a teenager when you're middle aged."  
Harry closed his fist tightly around the vial, processing the information. "And what happens when I…"  
"I'll take care of it," Edward said with his teeth clenched. "If a potion or spell won't do it I'd go to the volturi. I want to be there with you for that next great adventure."  
"Will it make you too old to hunt or anything?"  
"Definitely not. Strictly appearance altering, but it will follow the pattern in which I'd age if I could. I'll still be me, just aging. With you."  
The longing and contentment in Edward's voice was what assured Harry that this plan was going to be carried out. "You're sure it works?" He asked once more.  
"We're positive. Tested it on some of my hair. Unfortunately I might be going grey by 40 it seems."  
Harry scoffed and ran his fingers through Edward's thick mop. "I'm sure you'll be as dapper as ever," he hummed.

* * *

**17 years later:  
**

* * *

"Blow them out already, Uncle Harry, before I eat my cap instead," Teddy goaded his godfather from where he leaned against the kitchen wall.  
"Hush, Brat, I can still send you to your room," Harry quipped at the dusty-haired teenager.  
"Hey, only if you send Bree in with me too," the young man answered cheekily with a wink. The girl in question blushed furiously and punched her boyfriend's arm.  
"Ouch," he joked, turning away from her. "You wound me!"  
"Be a gentleman, Ted," a smooth voice chided. Edward appeared beside his partner, holding the vial he had grabbed from the bathroom cupboard.  
"Sorry Uncle. My apologies, Brianna."  
The witch pressed up on her toes and pressed a kiss to Teddy's cheek. The hair that peaked out from his cap turned blue.

Harry Potter, now 35, eyed the smattering of candles on the small cake and blew them out in one breath. He felt Edward's cool hand settle on his shoulder and leaned back against him as the vampire uncorked the vial. With a quick motion the fluid was swallowed and they watched the man still for a moment. It happened slowly- only noticeable because they watched it occur- a slight line at the corner of each eye, a shift in his jawline, the hair on his head perhaps a hint of a shade lighter. Harry smiled at him and kissed the underside of his jaw.

"Still handsome?" the vampire asked  
"As handsome as ever," the wizard confirmed.

"If you two get mushy over that cake I'll chuck up the particularly delicious supper we just had," Teddy claimed from the wall again.  
Harry snuck a quick kiss anyway. "Just for that you're getting the last serving, Teddy," Harry told him. He plucked the candles from the cake and sliced it quickly, passing a piece first to Bree, then putting one aside for himself, then cutting a narrow sliver of it, which he tossed at his godson with a flick of his wand.  
"Oi!" The metamorphmagus shouted, raising his own wand to stop the piece in midair. Suspending the cake there, he bent forward and stuck his tongue out to catch a glob of falling icing. "mm, it's good!"  
"Edward made it," Harry told them.  
"It's delicious," Brianna commented. "Thank you again for having me."

"I told them we would need to have a small party that you could come to," Teddy told her as finished off the small floating bit of cake and made to cut himself a real slice. "Because otherwise you'd be tossed in with the whole family, which is overwhelming even when you've grown up around it."  
"Really?" Bree asked. "Tell me about it."

The three men laughed lightly. "Well first Molly tries to cook everything and then she cries when someone tries to help," Harry began.  
"And then Uncle Ron shouts at Aunt Hermione for making his mum cry," Teddy added.  
"That's usually when Hermione storms off to wash something or take care of the little ones for a while," Edward interjected.  
"Yes, Love. And is that before or after you go outside to have a fight with Jacob?" Harry ribbed the vampire.  
"Neither," Edward said simply. "Our fight comes after Draco gets into it with Ginny over something stupid and I tell him to back off her, and Jake decides he should wrestle me in the backyard in defense of his partner."  
"And then…" Teddy leads with a grin,  
"And then I toss the mutt around in the trees for a bit to make his swollen ego deflate," Edward finished with a chortle.

"I like Uncle Jake though," Teddy said conspiratorially to his girlfriend. "We've always gotten on great. He and Uncle Edward like to get into it, but they don't mind each other really. It's just a good way to blow off energy for them."  
"Speaking of," the vampire says, catching his dark-eyed reflection in a mirror that hung on the wall, "I'll need to get going soon."

Bree became quiet and pushed the last of her cake around with a spoon. Edward sensed that and awkwardly stood. He brushed a kiss to Harry's head and put a few plates in the sink to wash later before calling his 'see you later's' and disappearing out the front door.

"You get used to it," Teddy said quietly to his girlfriend. "He's really really safe, I swear."  
"I'm not afraid or anything," She assured Teddy. "They told us first year that he was careful and only hunts animals. Teddy, we took class with him for 7 years don't you think you'd know if I was afraid? I'm just not so good with the idea of blood in general, that's all."  
Teddy visibly sighed and caught his godfather's knowing eye.  
"Good," the boy said, rubbing his girlfriend's back. "I didn't think you were, but you know, I'd just need to know that the person I'm dating can handle my family. We're a little…"  
"Unique?" Harry asked sardonically. The elder wizard stood from the table and put his own dishes in the sink.  
"Special..?" Teddy corrected.  
Harry grinned and came back to the table. He put his hand on Bree's shoulder and squeezed gently. "We just want you to feel comfortable here, Brianna. As long as you'll put up with Teddy, we're happy to have you," he said.  
"Thanks, Mr. Potter."  
"Anytime. Alright you two. I'm going to retire to my own room for the evening. Please keep things appropriate and don't stay up too late."  
The two teenagers blushed furiously but chorused  
"Goodnight Uncle Harry," "Goodnight, Mr. Potter. Happy Birthday."  
"Thanks."

* * *

Harry walked up the stairs of their home- they had left the apartment behind when Teddy was four and needed more space to run and play. It was a home that had been deeded to him from somewhere in the Potter line. They were fairly secluded, with plenty of wooded area for Edward to hunt in close by. The wizard changed into his pajamas and brushed his teeth, leaving the toothpaste, two bottles of water and a bottle of Listerine on the counter for Edward to use when he came in later.

The following day would be Saturday, and they were convening at the Burrow with the Weasleys, Draco, and Jacob. On Monday he would return to work at the auror office at the ministry while Teddy interned in Interspecies Relations 4 floors below. Edward was off for the summer. As a result of his constant studying and a lack of anyone else qualified or willing, he had been teaching Care of Magical Creatures at Hogwarts for the last eleven years. It was a hobby to him- fetching various creatures from the forest and introducing them to the students. Harry had a feeling that Edward had a bit more sense and a lot more speed than Hagrid had had, therefore maintaining a much safer class than he had ever been in. It was a bizarre lifestyle that they had. They had yet to escape the pressures of the media, but they made it work. Whenever things became too chaotic, they made the haul to wherever the Cullens laid their roots. Once, they returned to Forks with Draco and Jacob for their yearly visit to Billy. It had been strange. They visited the high school for lack of anything else to do in the small town and Edward comfortably met with his old educators for the first time in his existence now that he was physically aging. They had spun tales of muggle careers and lifestyles while being congratulated on making it through the long haul as a couple. It felt strange to be an actual adult. At times when he had been at Hogwarts, the idea of a life and a future had felt like a pipe-dream. But here he was.

Harry crawled between the sheets and snapped the lights out. He snuggled down into the comfort of his and Edward's bed. He rolled over a few times, trying to get comfortable but not truly tired. Finally, he wriggled under the comforter and shoved his pajama pants off. Soon after, his boxers and top followed, making a small pile of clothes on the floor beside the bed. He leaned over and reached into the bedside drawer to pluck a few materials out which he set on the nightstand. He hummed to himself one of the songs his partner had been playing recently and smiled. Naked, he sank back into the sheets and closed his eyes. Edward would be back in an hour or so. It was his birthday, after all, and Harry deserved to be taken care of.

* * *

IT IS COMPLETE FOR GOOD!  
I sincerely hope that you enjoyed reading this story as much as I have enjoyed bringing it to you. Sorry if things didn't turn out the way you planned, but this has always been the end result of this story in my mind.  
No sequels or one-shots, but if you have a burning question about the plot you may ask me in a review or PM and I'll get back to you.  
Thank you to each and every one of you who have been with me throughout this story. Honestly you've experienced the ups and downs that I have and I so appreciate this little world we have for ourselves in this corner of the internet. Friends near and far- you are all very dear to me.

If anyone wants to create FAN ART for this story, PLEASE CONTACT ME!  
Find me on Tumblr, my name is: perpetuating-pez  
I follow back!

One last bid for prayers for my mom. Although my fanfiction is a personal secret and not one that she would approve of- this story is definitely dedicated to her. Not because of the content or anything (She's never read Harry Potter OR Twilight...) but because this story was a journey that took me YEARS to complete. I knew I was undertaking it and wouldn't give up until I had finished it. Well, my mom has been dealt a hand with cancer- and I know she's going to keep fighting and pushing through until she beats it. So mama, if I can actually finish something for once in my life, you can beat this for sure.

As a wonderful woman, Ellen DeGeneres says, "Be kind to one another."  
Peace, Love, and Beautiful Things,  
-darkestAngel13


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